Connecticut prosecutors have decided not to charge the owner of a chimpanzee that attacked the owner's friend and employee, leaving the woman severely disfigured. According to the Hartford Courant, "Stamford State's Attorney David Cohen said Monday that an investigation did not determine that [owner Sondra] Herold... had acted recklessly in her care of the 200-pound chimp, or that she had disregarded information that the chimp, named Travis, was dangerous."
There was question whether the Xanax that Herold gave Travis affected his behavior. Additionally, though the state Department of Environmental Protection was concerned about Herold's ownership of Travis, the DEP never told Herold about those concerns.
A lawyer for the family of victim Charla Nash told the Courant he disagreed with some of the conclusions, but added, "Even though we have that difference of opinion, the family really does appreciate the time and effort that the state's attorney's office spent investigating this matter, and they're pretty much at peace with that decision. It will not in any way impact our civil case." The Nash family is suing Herold for $50 million and the state of Connecticut for $150 million.
