Activists react to suspected cockfighting bust

Jan. 30—Following the announcement that the Norman Police Department halted a large-scale rooster fighting operation, activists and politicians are now saying the incident may reflect that the underground market is more comfortable following bills filed that would ease restrictions on the practice.

Norman Animal Welfare seized the birds after responding to a separate fire incident. A press release described the circumstances as "deplorable conditions alongside evidence of brutal training and exploitation of the animals for fighting purposes."

Drew Edmondson, former Oklahoma attorney general and former gubernatorial candidate, said he was shocked by the situation in Norman, and condemned lawmakers who seek to loosen restrictions.

"Some legislators seem to be in approval of cockfighting," Edmondson told The Transcript. "Any public statements by people in public office that do anything but condemn cockfighting gives the cock fighters comfort."

Last year, Justin "J.J." Humphrey, R-Lane, introduced House Bill 2530, which would lower the penalty from cockfighting from a felony to a misdemeanor.

"We are going to change the language, but this is going to allow you to sell birds without having to commit crimes and make cockfighting a misdemeanor instead of a felony," Humphrey told The Transcript.

Edmondson said cockfighting appeals to some, especially in rural districts, and roosters trained to fight run around $2,000.

"It's big money. Those roosters make a high price. It is not unlike illegal drugs. If there is money to be made, there are going to be people that are going to do it," he said.

Humphrey said his bill isn't about cockfighting, rather about the freedom of breeders to raise gamefowl.

He also condemned the process by which State Question 687 (a 2002 law that basically outlawed cockfighting) was passed, 56-43%, as it favored counties in urban districts.

"We voted for it, and I'm going to carry it out. It wasn't a fair process, and I'm going to work and try to change that," Humphrey said.

He said the bill was introduced because he believes under the law people raising gamefowl were being penalized more harshly than those commiting other crimes.

"We are charging people merely for raising chickens with more [jail] time and child molesters and murderers," he said.

Edmondson said he refutes Humphrey's accusation that cockfighting breeders are given harsher sentences than murderers and child molesters.

"Murder, of course, carries the death penalty and life sentences. Child molesters are treated very harshly. Many cockfighting offenses are misdemeanors. Staging cockfight and participating in one are felonies, but so are other cruelty to animal charges."

Edmondson said it is important to put a stop on cockfighting because it fosters violence in communities.

"Violence breeds violence, and cockfighting is no different from child abuse or spousal abuse. If you grow up around that kind of violence, it breeds violence," Edmondson said.

Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, said cockfights are violent and set a poor precedent for those most vulnerable in society.

"Often children end up at cockfighting events, and that, to me, is very problematic," Boren said. "Showing happiness or celebrating as an animal is being harmed is a bad thing. It is important to teach children to have empathy and compassion. These types of bloodsports reroute a person's emotional response to cruelty."

Anthony DeVore, president of Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, a lobbyist group in support of changing law pertaining to the raising of gamefowl, said, without evidence, that there was no cockfighting taking place at the premise in Norman.

"It was a young kid and his wife raising chickens," DeVore said. "They confiscated all the roosters and left all the hens, so it can't be a bad living condition. That is our stance on it. The chickens are in good shape and are in healthy living conditions."

When asked whether the police had discovered evidence of cockfighting or training of cockfighting, Sarah Schettler, NPD spokesperson, referred The Transcript to the department's original statement and added, "Evidence of brutal training and exploitation of the roosters for the purpose of fighting was located onsite."

Edmondson said the NPD should be on the lookout for fighting blades, gaffs that are tied onto the roosters, magazines that show when fights take place, advertising equipment and other paraphernalia.

"They would have those on the premises, and I hope the police seized them," Edmondson said.

Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action out of Washington D.C., told The Transcript he has followed cockfighting in Oklahoma.

"We know it's happening in Atoka County. We know what's happening in Carter County. We know what's happening in the LeFlore County, but not a lot of people understand that it's also happening in Cleveland County and Oklahoma County," Pacelle said. "This is why we need a 77-county approach to halt this archaic and barbaric practice."

He said he doesn't understand Humphrey's bill that would legalize shipment of cockfighting birds to other countries.

"Federal law bans the shipment of those birds to any jurisdiction," he said. "Anthony DeVore and the cockfighters at Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission say we just want an opportunity to sell our birds, well that's a crime."

Edmondson agreed.

"When the Gamefowl Commission says they are breeding them to ship off to other places, that is a federal felony," Edmondson said.

When asked whether he thinks Oklahoma farmers should have the right to sell cockfighting roosters to other countries where it is legal, Humphrey said "absolutely."

"It's quite hypocritical what people say, and then what people do. When you use leather — all kinds of animals are killed every day in the clothes you wear and the food you eat. Then again, if you're going to say, well we just don't want to fight them, that's fine. It's your choice."

Kari Rayl, OGC spokesperson, said chicken owners can't be charged with raising roosters for cockfighting unless they have exhibited intent.

"Was he, [the man from Norman] being a chicken farmer, or was there an intent to fight the chicken,"

She said there are no such things as "training roosters," and that any two roosters could engage in cockfighting.

"They are biologically born to kill each other, just like T-rexes," Rayl said. "There are no training mechanisms."

Bradley Secraw, Cleveland County Oklahoma State University Extension agriculture educator, said certain types of breeds are raised for their aggressiveness.

He said Old English games and American games are breeds that are traditionally associated with cockfighting, though there are others.

"They are extremely aggressive and will fight each other to the death," Secraw said.

He said broiler chickens and Rhode Island red chickens are not as aggressive.

"They [broilers] will fight, but for dominance. I've seen flocks with more than one rooster. They'll establish a pecking order," Secraw said. "If you have a non-game breed like the Rhode Island reds, you can raise the males together, and they'll be fine. You may ask, why haven't they killed each other? It's because they aren't bred for aggression."

He also said the presence of gamefowl doesn't necessarily equate to a cockfighting operation.

"It's really hard to tell sometimes," he said. "There are some interesting breeds of chicken that people love, just because of how they look."

He said further investigation needs to take place before authorities can say whether or not a farmer is running a cockfighting operation, and that there are good reasons for owning gamefowl even if the owner has no interest in using them for fighting.

DeVore said children are targeted because they raise gamefowl, and the law is intended to keep Future Farmers of America members out of prison.

"One of the things that we're trying to do is protect our FFA kids," DeVore said. "The wrong person could have the opinion that they intend to fight them, and all of a sudden my kids in the FFA who show gamefowl are felons."

Edmondson said the FFA does not encourage young people to engage in cruelty to animals or violate the law.

"This is false. Chickens are raised for egg production [at the FFA] and consumption of food. There are no FFA shows for fighting roosters," Edmondson said.

Brian King covers education and politics for The Transcript. Reach him at bking@normantranscript.com.