Probation For S.I. Woman Who Smuggled Monkey Meat

Flying Monkeys! Man Boards Plane With Monkey Under His Hat

A federal judge sentenced a Staten Island mother of eight to probation for smuggling monkey meat into the country.

Citing her large family — and three other children she is currently raising in her home — Federal Judge Raymond Dearie ruled that Mamie Manneh shouldn't be put behind bars for illegally trying to sneak 720 pounds of bushmeat including limbs, skulls and torsos from baboons and green monkeys in boxes labeled "African dresses and smoked fish" through customs three years ago. "If you do it again, whether you have 11 children or 32, you will not be spared a federal prison sentence," the judge warned.

Manneh, who has 11 prior arrests including one for running over her husband's suspected mistress with an SUV, argued it was her Constitutional right to bring monkey meat into the United States. Her lawyers claimed she needed to eat monkey during certain religious ceremonies for her syncretic faith, which merges Christian and African traditions. A judge shot down those arguments, stating that Manneh should have applied for the necessary permits to import exotic foods. Prosecutors — and even renowned monkey expert Jane Goodall — said Manneh should be put behind bars for as long as 27 months.

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By Ben Muessig in News on December 12, 2009 3:43 PM

Comments [rss]

Snoopy

I guess it proves true the old saying, "You are what you eat."

Malcolm Tucker

It's shite like this that will be our downfall -- how many prior convictions does someone need before the dumbfuck judge says "hang on, this person's a repeat offender, it's in their genes and I need to provide society the protection it deserves by DOING MY FUCKING JOB?"

robingee

11 prior arrests!! One for each kid. Good Lord. How many times does someone have to screw up??

robingee

Pray... for... Mojo...

LB

LOL ! Monkey meat .

monkeyrotica

Don't knock it til you've tried it.

Bow chika bow wow.

Snoopy

Do judges get paid by how stupid they are or by the case?

NannyState

That's the last time I get a taco in S.I...

Mr Mel

I'm confused here is it 11 children or 11 arrests or both.?

ozik

Maybe the children were each a celebration for the arrests she dodged.

ides_of_march

Just another ethnic cuisine, who are we to judge? Does it come with a side order of bananas? Personally, I prefer the orangutang a l'orange or the gorilla gumbo, but that's just me.

tsol

It woud be funny if bush meat weren't the source of HIV's transit from monkeys to humans...

If ACT UP! and all those red-ribbon types were serious they would be agitating for this woman and her brood's deportation to the Congo or wherever, but I guess that would be tantamount to closing the cage after the gorilla left and started a plague...

Clarice City

Take her passport away. Easy.

Malcolm Tucker

Next time someone calls America a land of intolerence, I'll direct them to this case. Eleven priors and this nutter gets off with probation and a fuckin' warning?

Next time she's in the dock (and there will be a next time, I promise you) the judge will say "If you do it again, whether you have 11 children or 32, you will not be spared a federal prison sentence, and this time I'm totally serious."

Amanda Harletsch

I bet her alibi are her many kids.

Petey

11 prior arrests? Obviously she DOESN'T learn her lesson, and maybe some jail time would help. 8 kids? The judges probably keep using that as sympathy, and an excuse to let this habitual offender not serve any time.

Amanda Harletsch

let's be flexible with all people that want to propagate imbecility, superstition, primitive practices and specially that pray on frail ecosystems because it does not cost a thing!