| Charges filed in East Bethel cockfighting incident |
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| Wednesday, 22 April 2009 | |
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Staff writer Three men were charged April 20 in Anoka County District Court for their alleged involvement in cockfighting. According to the criminal complaint, the incident happened at the home of Kou Her, 35, 20239 Jackson St. N.E., East Bethel. He was charged with felonies - promoting animal fighting and permitting premises to be used for animal fighting. Two other men were charged with a felony count of possession of an animal for animal fighting purposes and one gross misdemeanor charge of attending an animal fight. The other men charged were Dao Nhia Thao, 53, 8455 Mississippi Blvd., N.W., Coon Rapids, and Neng Thao, 34, of Danville, Ark. A suspicious neighbor called police at 12:38 a.m. April 18 to report that there may be animal fighting happening at 20239 Jackson St. N.E. When deputies from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office responded, they spotted approximately 15 vehicles in the driveway, according to the complaint. When the deputies walked up the driveway toward the home, they allegedly heard cheering and yelling coming from the detached garage. One of the deputies walked to the south of the garage and through a window saw approximately 35 males standing around a two-foot-high circular ring, watching two chickens or roosters fighting, the complaint alleges. The deputy spotted a man leaving the garage and found out his name was Her and he owned the home. The deputy asked him why he was letting the animals fight, according to the complaint. Her allegedly told the deputy that the chickens were training and the birds belonged to his friends. He allegedly told the deputy they let the birds fight because that’s what they do when his friends come over and they did not have anything else to do. Deputies entered the garage and allegedly had two people separate the two fighting roosters. They saw both roosters had patches of feathers missing and one was very bloody on its head. Blood was spotted in the ring. Police discovered that there were 11 chickens or roosters inside the garage either in carrying cases, which had ventilation holes, or in pens, according to the complaint. Another 17 chicks or small roosters were allegedly in a covered pen outside the garage under a heat lamp and more chickens and roosters were found on the property, including two running loose on the lawn and one rooster that had dry blood on its wings and some torn feathers. More chickens were found in suitcases with breathing holes inside two vehicles that allegedly belonged to Dao Nhia Thao and Neng Thao parked outside the garage. In a post-Miranda statement following his arrest, Dao Nhia Thao allegedly admitted he had attended the cockfight, but denied knowing that any rooster was in a case inside his car. He alleged that the car was unlocked and anyone could have put it in there. Dao Nhia Thao alleged that he also raises chickens at his Coon Rapids home and at his cabin in Wisconsin. He said he raises hens and roosters for meat. According to the Animal Humane Society, a warrant was obtained and a team arrived at the East Bethel home April 20. They seized five birds including three fighting roosters and two younger chickens. The birds were transported to the Animal Humane Society’s Golden Valley location where they are currently receiving forensic medical examinations. Eric Hagen is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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