FESTUS, Mo. — The woman who once cared for seven chimpanzees at the now-defunct Missouri Primate Foundation, 12338 Hwy. CC, south of Festus may soon face new federal charges.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Judge Catherine Perry on Nov. 22 ordered the U.S. District Attorney’s Office to make a charging decision against Tonia Haddix, who was the focus of the HBO docuseries “Chimp Crazy.”
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed a motion in October claiming Haddix violated court orders and committed perjury based on evidence from “Chimp Crazy.”
Whether Haddix will be charged depends on the U.S. Attorney’s response to the court order. If the request is accepted, prosecution will follow. If not, the court may have an option to appoint another attorney to pursue a criminal contempt charge.
The court order requires the U.S. Attorney to accept or decline the request to prosecute Haddix for criminal contempt by Dec. 16.
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