Animal Court

By Pablo Zaragoza

Animal Court is a modern fable, in which wildlife from around the world turn the tables on humans. Set in an African jungle, the animals take to trial one man whose global conglomerate has destroyed habitats, polluted waters, and pushed animal, insect, marine, and plant species closer to endangerment and extinction. How will animals serve justice if the jury finds the defendant guilty beyond all reasonable doubt?

 

In a jungle clearing, wildlife species witness a landmark trial of animals vs humans. Three judges—Cesar Lion, Bernard Bear, and Darrell Dolphin—preside over the trial of a wealthy prince for deforestation, water pollution, animal poaching, and other crimes. Prosecutor Abel Wolf and Defense Attorney Kane Snake examine and cross-examine witnesses in a variety of species. Lillian Leopard covers the proceedings for ANN, Animal News Network, and Lucy Ladybug leads the animal jury.  Following closing arguments, the judges instruct the jury on their deliberations. The verdict the jury delivers is a surprising sentencing option.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pablo Zaragoza
• Release date: Mar 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393480228

Book preview

PABLO ZARAGOZA

SUSAN GIFFIN

Every creature is better alive than dead,

man and moose and pine tree,

and he who understands it aright will rather

preserve its life than destroy it.

Henry David Thoreau

To the 259,200,200 animals slaughtered daily on Planet Earth

and

To the 70 billion land animals that humans kill each year

but not for food

Table of Contents

Title Page

FOREWORD

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

EPILOGUE

AUTHOR’S POST-NOTES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ALSO BY PABLO ZARAGOZA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

COPYRIGHT

FOREWORD

The inspiration for this novel comes from a story we heard about the Babemba tribe of South Africa. When a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unrestrained. All work stops, and every man, woman, and child in the village forms a large circle around the accused individual.

Then each person in the tribe speaks to the accused, one at a time, each recalling the good things the person in the center of the circle has done in his lifetime. They recount every incident, every experience that they can remember with any detail and accuracy. They carefully and at length recite all of his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses. This tribal ceremony often lasts for several days.

At the end, the tribal circle is broken, a joyous celebration takes place, and the accused person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe.

We set this story in a jungle in Africa, but we could have chosen a forest in Europe or Asia, a South American rainforest, dense woods in Canada, or a national park in the United States. Animals worldwide are objects of abuse, much of it beyond comprehension. No one person bears responsibility, nor does one nation or continent. We selected Africa because it is, to us, most intriguing, one that in many ways is just now being discovered.

Since we anthropomorphized the animals to conduct a trial in court, we named each animal.

PROLOGUE

Each species is a masterpiece,

a creation assembled with

extreme care and genius.

Edward O. Wilson

In a clearing deep in an African jungle, three members of the animal kingdom meet. One is a large male lion named Cesar. The second is Bernard, an enormous grizzly bear, and the third, in a huge tank of water, is Darrell, a bottle-nose dolphin.

Judge Cesar Lion addresses them. Gentle animals, we are about to open what could well become a landmark trial in the animal world; in fact, it could impact the human world, too. We are not immune to feelings of pain and anger when we reflect on abuse of our individual animal species. I, for one, harbor ill feelings toward humans who call themselves trophy hunters, who kill for sport and smile broadly for the camera with yet another fallen lion. And for some humans who hunt us down for certain body parts that they brew into medicine or exotic beverages.

Judge Bernard Bear speaks for fellow bears around the world, "Yes, how well that resonates with me. Bear hunting has been going on for many more years than I know, but again, it’s too often for sport, for a bear rug or bear head trophy, and the worst is when they kill not only the mother bears but the cubs, not giving them a chance to grow up and experience the joys of playing with other cubs or fathering or mothering cubs of their own.

I hear you, says Judge Cesar Lion. Humans are inhumane in the laws they make to encourage such behavior. And if they’re not killing us, they devise ways to force us to alter our movements and habitats, as they do in Canada and the United States by allowing noisy off-road vehicles in our territory. It’s both frightening and heartbreaking.

Habitats! says Judge Bernard Bear. A whopping 98 percent of the original grizzly bear habitat is no more. Bears didn’t do that!

From under the water emerges Judge Darrell Dolphin. Don’t get me started. My fellow dolphins face similar fates. And, like both lions and bears, humans remove us from our native habitat—for me, that’s the expansive ocean—and force us to live in a confined area, to perform for crowds of humans and to make us eat dead fish. Yuck.

Humans act like they are afraid of us, adds Judge Bernard Bear. Sure, we grizzlies are big, powerful, and fast. We can run as fast as 35mph, but we can’t outrun a speeding bullet. We are the ones who should fear humans, yet many examples exist of loving relationships between grizzly bears and humans.

Generally speaking, the greatest human failure is to assume animals have no feelings. The human shortcoming is the inability to put themselves in our paws or feet or wings or fins, whatever, states Judge Darrell Dolphin, coming up for air and punctuating his words with a ca-ca-ca sound."

Well, my dear colleagues, Judge Cesar Lion says, we have had this little session for a good reason: to purge our minds of these atrocities so that we might proceed through this trial with clear heads, as we listen to the testimonies of fellow members of the animal kingdom, instruct the jury to deliberate fairly, and finally, to render a just sentence if the jury finds the defendant guilty. We must, above all else, act in a manner unlike that of many judges in human courts. Now, let us proceed to the court arena.

CHAPTER ONE

Humankind must begin to learn that

life of an animal is in no way less

precious than our own.

Paul Oxton

In the same dense African forest is a large clearing, roped off into different sections. Black bears, rhinos, dairy cows, tigers, lions, foxes, and others, as if on some advance cue, arrive individually and in groups. They congregate in a reserved area facing the front of the courtroom. Eagles, hawks, and other birds of prey, along with macaws, honeybees, and butterflies alight in overhead tree branches, curiously eyeing the activities below.

Behind a high bench, as in a human courtroom, are two chairs and a separate reserved area. To the right is a boxed section with a seat, specifically for witnesses, and to the far right is a cordoned-off area with twelve seats. In front of the high bench are two tables, each with its own chairs. Next to one table is a cage, and in the center between the high bench and the two tables is a smaller table outfitted with a special recording device and a perch. A large screen, set off to one side, is clearly visible from all court stations.

After the animals settle into the visitors’ gallery, a brightly colored parrot flies into the area and lands on a perch. This is the bailiff, Paul Parrot. He squawks to get everyone’s attention. Will the court please rise. All animals that are not already standing, get up and focus their attention on the bailiff.

The Honorable Cesar Lion…

Judge Cesar Lion ambles into the arena and climbs up on the highest chair behind the tall bench and peers silently at the gathering before him. He explains the layout of the area. Most of you, if not all, have never seen a human courtroom; this is what you see now, a wooded replica of a human court. The invitation you received specified the nature of your visit: to give individual testimonies of animals, birds, insects—and even our fresh and saltwater friends—of wrongs that humans have committed against them.

Judge Cesar Lion pauses momentarily and reads a note from the bailiff. Then he continues, The second reason for your appearance here is to witness the trial of one member of the human species who represents many of the same ilk, those who perpetrate violence, pain, and unwarranted killing in nature. Sadly, those members of our animal world whom mankind pushed into extinction have no representative to testify, but the rest of you will serve collectively as their voice.

The animals nod in agreement. Their eyes turn to see two enormous gorillas wheeling in a large aquarium. Judge Cesar Lion introduces Judge Darrell Dolphin, who raises his head above water and nods in response. Next, Judge Cesar Lion announces the arrival of Judge Bernard Bear, who slowly enters the arena and takes his place on the bench, resting his forepaws on his big padded hind feet.

After introducing the other two judges, Judge Cesar Lion addresses a small assembly of wildlife standing before him, In order to proceed, I am asking these representatives of wildlife species to serve on our jury. Now, it is obvious that our jury does not follow the selection process of a human jury; in that, ours is not a jury of the defendant’s peers, but of the victims’ peers.

I object, Your Honors! There is no way my client can get a fair trial if he is not judged by his peers. This jury selection falls totally outside the realm of responsible and ethical jurisprudence, Attorney Kane Snake states in an agitated tone.

It follows the law of the jungle and tribal law, Judge Cesar Lion responds. He then turns to the animal group. Please, when I call you, take a seat in the jury box. He indicates the box to his far left.

Ella Elm, Walter Water Buffalo, George Black Bear, Orville Orangutan, Tim Tiger, Polly Porcupine, Sam Shark, Brad Black Rhino, Kong Komodo Dragon, Peter African Penguin, Dolly Darwin’s Frog, and Lucy Ladybug, please take your seats. Ms. Ladybug, I am appointing you fore-animal of the jury. You will oversee the deliberations and be the jury’s spokes-animal when the jury reaches a verdict.

Remember this is a criminal trial, and therefore you must judge on the basis of reasonable doubt, says Judge Bernard Bear.

What is reasonable doubt? asks Lucy Ladybug.

Reasonable doubt is a standard of proof that must be surpassed to convict an accused in a criminal proceeding, explains Judge Cesar Lion. Remember the prosecutor must prove the defendant guilty beyond all reasonable doubt. You, the jurors, must come to a unanimous voice before announcing your verdict. Any other questions?

"As the basis for our deliberations here today, we are using human law as written in the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which states clearly it is ‘a fundamental value determination of our society that it is far worse to convict an innocent man than to let a