Monkey killing suspect waives preliminary hearing
BOISE -- The Idaho Press Tribune reports Michael Watkins, the suspect charged with burglary and grand theft in connection with the death of a monkey at Zoo Boise, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday morning.
Watkins, 22, entered Zoo Boise in November, manipulated a lock to get into the primate enclosure and removed the patas monkey by wrapping it in his jacket, Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Fafa Alidjani told reporters after Watkins was arraigned in Boise's 4th District Court back in November.
"He told police he was going to throw the monkey outside the fence," Alidjani said. When he failed, the monkey bit him, prompting Watkins to use a tree branch to bash the monkey in the head and neck, she said.
If convicted, Watkins faces up to 10 years in prison for the burglary charge and 14 years in prison for the grand theft charge.
Watkins will next appear before Judge Norton in Ada County on Jan. 17 at 9 a.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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