A Festus area teenager faces criminal charges following the April 19 shooting of Suzy the chimpanzee. Jason Coats, 18, was charged on May 18 with felony property damage and misdemeanor animal abuse.
Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Bob Wilkins said the chimpanzee was shot three times by Coats, once in the back and twice in the face. Coats had told Jefferson County Sheriff's Department investigators that he feared for his safety before shooting the chimpanzee.
However, the prosecutor said in a prepared statement, "A witness says the defendant shortly after the shooting exclaimed that he has just shot himself a monkey."
The shooting took place after three chimpanzees owned by Mike and Connie Casey escaped from an unlocked cage and wandered away.
The Caseys operate the Missouri Primate Foundation, a chimpanzee retirement sanctuary for pets and performance animals that are no longer wanted. They have 22 chimpanzees and are licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture. The Caseys also operate Chimparty, taking chimps to parties and other gatherings to provide entertainment and education. They also provide chimpanzees for advertisements, television and movies.
The chimpanzees are kept at a compound at the Caseys' home on Hwy. CC, south of Festus.
On April 19, Connie Casey attempted to lure the chimps back to their cage. When she was unsuccessful, she went inside her home to prepare a tranquilizer. While she was inside, the chimpanzees wandered two houses away.
Coats and some friends arrived home and were greeted by the chimpanzees.
Coats got a shotgun from the house. When Coats came outside with the gun, Connie Casey told him Suzy had been tranquilized, Wilkins said. The chimpanzee was sitting by the roadway.
Wilkins alleged that Coats shot the chimp, first in the back. The prosecutor said the chimp lunged forward and appeared to be crawling toward a tree when Coats shot twice more, hitting both times.
Mike Casey said he is pleased that criminal charges were filed against Coats.
"We're happy that he was picked up," Casey said. "But we are dissatisfied with the charge. We are still pushing for weapons charges against him. What he did was a lot more than kicking someone's dog."
Coats was released on $3,500 bond. The range of punishment for the felony charge is one day to one year in the county jail or up to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Misdemeanor charges are punishable by a fine and/or a county jail term of up to one year.
Click to read past Leader coverage on the events that led to "Chimp Crazy."
