2 charged after guinea pig killed before lacrosse game
WOODHAVEN, Mich. (AP) — Two members of a Detroit-area high school lacrosse team have been charged after authorities said they killed a guinea pig before a game in April, officials announced Monday.
Tanner Coolsaet, 18, and Michael Roth, 17, both of Grosse Ile, are each charged with killing or torturing animals and conspiracy to kill or torture animals, the Wayne County prosecutor's office said. The charges are felonies punishable by up to 4 years in prison.
“The alleged facts in this case illustrate much more than a youthful prank or a pre-game antic,” Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. “We must take these cases seriously.”
The court in the Detroit suburb of Woodhaven where the case is being heard said Monday morning that records didn't list lawyers for them.
According to the prosecuto’s office, they were members of the Grosse Ile High School varsity lacrosse team when they met April 30 with others on the team. Prosecutors said Coolsaet slit the guinea pig’s throat with a knife and Roth grabbed the animal and struck it with a small bat.
The guinea pig soon died, authorities said.
Grosse Ile Township police have said it didn’t happen on school grounds and that not all members of the team were present at the time. The team was kept off the field as authorities investigated and word of a possible animal cruelty became public in May.
The Associated Press left a message with the school district seeking information about the two who were charged and the team.
Wayne Law presents annual Mark Weiss Day at Comerica Park
Join Wayne Law for a picnic and baseball in celebration of the 14th annual Mark Weiss Day at Comerica Park on Friday, August 5. This year’s game pits the Detroit Tigers against the New York Mets. The picnic starts at 5:30 p.m. on Party Deck #2, and the game begins at 7:10 p.m. The actual cost for the picnic and ticket to the game is $52. A minimum of $125 for each ticket is requested. The remaining $73 will be a tax deductible gift to the Mark Weiss Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarship was established as a joint project of Wayne Law and the Michigan Association for Justice, formerly known as the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association. Weiss, who graduated from the school in 1969, devoted his considerable skills to fighting for the rights of the poor and powerless, and protecting the civil rights of all litigants. To date, 41 scholarships have been awarded to Wayne Law students in memory of Weiss. To RSVP for this event, visit http://events.wayne.edu/law/2016/08. Tickets will be mailed directly to you through July 31. If a purchase is made within a week of the game, you will be required to personally pick up your tickets from the Office of Special Events and Services at Wayne State University in the AAB building at 5700 Cass Avenue, Suite 4300 in Detroit. For questions regarding ticket purchases, call (313) 577-0300. If you cannot attend the game, but wish to make a contribution to the Mark Weiss Memorial Scholarship Fund, donations are being accepted online (see web address above) or by mail.
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