Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Trial underway in gorilla attack lawsuit

The first witness to testify in a gorilla-attack lawsuit against Franklin Park Zoo in Boston said the animal pulled a toddler from her arms.
|
|
 
  
Published: Sept. 19, 2007 at 5:04 PM

BOSTON, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- The first witness to testify in a gorilla-attack lawsuit against Franklin Park Zoo in Boston said the animal pulled a toddler from her arms.

Courtney Roberson said the 300-pound gorilla, Little Joe, pushed the door to his exhibition space open and grabbed her, before turning his attention to Nia Scott, the 2-year-old she held in her arms, The Boston Globe reported Wednesday.

"I couldn't believe that I was just attacked by a gorilla at the zoo," Roberson said in Suffolk Superior Court. "I couldn't believe it happened."

Nia Scott's mother, Terrasita Duarte-Scott, is suing the zoo for physical injuries sustained by her daughter during the attack, as well as the persistent psychological damage she claims both mother and daughter suffered as a result of the attack.

"The last time I seen Nia, I saw her in front of the Tropical Forest, being attacked by Joe," Robertson testified. "I remember crying, 'I can't help her!'"

John Linehan, chief executive officer of the zoo, is scheduled to testify Wednesday.

Nia Scott is expected to testify later in the trial.

Topics: John Linehan
© 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 20
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visited in Washington
View Caption
Veterans etch the names of their friends inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War on May 26, 2012 in Washington, DC. More than 58,000 names of the servicemen who were killed or missing in the war are engraved on The Wall. UPI/Pat Benic
fark
Canadian hang-glider pilot says he's really sorry he dropped that poor tourist to her death, and...
In this day and age, the Golden Gate bridge would never be built, thanks to hipsters, enviro-nuts...
Dick Winters, a true American hero, immortalized with a statue in Normandy. It's about damn time...
Apparently Best Korean officials are suffering from contagious and deadly "traffic accidents"
Police state that naked man eating another naked man's face is certainly a rare occurrence. "Other...
Survey indicates women enjoy the best sex of their lives when they reach 28, men at 33. After that,...