Parrot as witness?
« previous post | next post »
Peter Holley, "Foul-mouthed parrot may be used as evidence in murder trial, prosecutor says", WaPo 6/26/2016:
Family members believe Bud, an African gray parrot, may have witnessed the shooting that left Martin Duram dead and his wife severely injured.
They believe this because the bird’s latest phrase — the one he won’t stop shouting at the top of his lungs mimicking his owner’s voice — is a chilling one: “Don’t f—ing shoot!”
Duram’s body was found near his wife, who suffered a gunshot wound to her head but is alive. Although police initially assumed she was a victim of the shooting, police reports obtained by WOOD-TV revealed that she eventually became a suspect in the slaying. […]
Relatives told the station that they think Martin Duram’s final moments were imprinted in the bird’s memory and that he continues to relive the slaying. They noted that Bud mimicked both the victim and his wife.
Ambivalentmaybe said,
June 27, 2016 @ 10:33 am
Wasn't this part of the plot in a Tintin book?
NW said,
June 27, 2016 @ 11:11 am
It's an African grey, it probably got the idea from the book.
Starcross said,
June 27, 2016 @ 11:22 am
This was a part of the plot in one of the ace attorney games as well.
leoboiko said,
June 27, 2016 @ 11:31 am
Also in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.
delagar said,
June 27, 2016 @ 12:08 pm
It's also, sort of, used in the plot of a SF novel by Robert Heinlein, The Red Planet, though with a Martian "bouncer" instead of a parrot.
Rube said,
June 27, 2016 @ 12:36 pm
I am reminded of a cartoon I saw, many years ago. The scene is a store, and a pair of feet, obviously those of a corpse, are visible with the rest of the body concealed by the counter.
Above the counter, we see a parrot cage, with a parrot shouting "You'll have to shoot me first, I'll never give you the money, You'll have to shoot me first…."
bratschegirl said,
June 27, 2016 @ 1:31 pm
Sounds like a case for Law & Order: Animal Control
Maurice Buxton said,
June 27, 2016 @ 3:01 pm
Also (with a twist) in the Perry Mason story The Case of the Perjured Parrot.
Glarbph said,
June 27, 2016 @ 3:45 pm
This is also relevant: http://pbfcomics.com/175
Here I think the bird may have made it up on purpose, though – just look at his self-satisfied expression!
David Morris said,
June 27, 2016 @ 5:18 pm
Twin Peaks.
Phony Email said,
June 27, 2016 @ 5:26 pm
I wish comment threads at this blog could be upvoted.
> Law & Order: Animal Control
That wins my vote.
Chris C. said,
June 27, 2016 @ 6:16 pm
Good thing it's an African Gray. If it were a Norwegian Blue, they wouldn't even have this much to go on.
Ralph Hickok said,
June 27, 2016 @ 7:05 pm
Exactly how is a parrot sworn in? With its right wing on the Bible? Or can it simply affirm?
D.O. said,
June 27, 2016 @ 10:43 pm
A tape recorder (OMG, is it still a thing?) cannot be sworn either, but…
David Morris said,
June 28, 2016 @ 2:06 am
Let's hope the parrot doesn't commit perchery.
Jason said,
June 28, 2016 @ 3:57 am
David I laughed at your comment. Perhaps they should interview the parrot to see what it knows…
Gregory Kusnick said,
June 28, 2016 @ 1:11 pm
Polly wants a lawyer.
John Walden said,
June 28, 2016 @ 2:50 pm
If only there were another word for a lie-detector that could give rise to some parrot-based pun. So I'll have to settle for "Will he take the stand?" although in fact he's probably always on one.
Ralph Hickok said,
June 28, 2016 @ 3:50 pm
@John Walden:
Well, there's polly-graph.
Stephen Hart said,
June 28, 2016 @ 11:59 pm
Ambivalentmaybe said,
Wasn't this part of the plot in a Tintin book?
The Broken Ear
"Rodrigo Tortilla, you've killed me!"