DA preparing to present flamingo case to grand jury

MISSISSIPPI -- Nine college students suspected of being involved in the theft of a Chilean flamingo from the Hattiesburg Zoo may soon see their day in court.

The cases against the students will be presented to the grand jury early next year, according to Forrest-Perry County District Attorney Patricia Burchell.

The students may face conspiracy charges in connection with the incident, Hattiesburg Police Department spokesman Lt. Jon Traxler said in October during the early investigation into the incident.

Devin Nottis, 19, of Pascagoula was initially arrested Oct. 8 in connection with the theft and subsequent deaths of two flamingos from the zoo. A University of Southern Mississippi freshman, he was charged with grand larceny, two counts of animal cruelty and trespassing in the case. He remains free on a $17,300 bond.

During a fraternity pledge "prank", Nottis allegedly removed the female flamingo from the zoo about 1:15 a.m. Oct. 7. The bird was found injured about 8:30 a.m. that same day on the Longleaf Trace and had to be euthanized due to the extent of its injuries.

A second flamingo — the male mate of the female — also died, said Rick Taylor, executive director of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, which oversees zoo operations. It was found dead in the holding area the morning of Oct. 8 with scrapes on its body. A necropsy was performed and gross internal injuries were discovered.

In October, Southern Miss placed Nottis on interim suspension, and the fraternity he was pledging — the Delta Mu chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha — on indefinite suspension. The chapter also was placed on administrative suspension by the national organization.

Joe Paul, the university's vice president for student affairs, said last week Nottis and the fraternity remain on suspension.

"We're waiting to see what the grand jury will do," he said.

Immediately after Nottis' arrest, Paul said any additional students found to be involved in this incident would be adjudicated through the official university process.

The zoo has not replaced the four flamingos it lost since the exhibit opened in April 2013. The two that died in October were among the 19 remaining birds in the flamingo exhibit. The exhibit had 21 flamingos when it opened, but two died of natural causes.

Taylor said zoo officials are still looking for replacement flamingos. The original birds were purchased from Zoo Atlanta in December 2012, at a cost of $1,700 for each adult bird and $1,200 for juveniles.

(Hattiesburg American - December 20, 2014)