Erik Robert Zimmerman, Patrick Thomas Perry and Ivan Antonio Garcia

Killed, cooked and ate a raccoon

Athens, GA

Dec. 12, 2003

Zimmerman, age 19 of Marble, NC, killed a raccoon with a pellet gun outside the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity’s South Milledge Avenue house after hitting it with a construction pylon.  Perry skinned and cooked the raccoon while Garcia ate some of it.

 (photo courtesy of onlineathens) Only Zimmerman faces animal cruelty charges because he was the one who actually killed the animal.  Garcia and Perry have met the requirements of probation and will not be given any sanctions from the University because they did not violate the student conduct code.  Zimmerman has not yet met the requirements as sanctioned by Phi Kappa Psi’s grievance committee.

Perry was treated for possible rabies exposure for handling the raccoon’s head.  The racoon could not be tested for rabies because its carcass eventually was burned in a pile of trash and leaves in the frat house parking lot.

All 3 were ordered to apologize, give an educational speech about animal cruelty and perform 25 hours of community service and stay away from fraternity social activities for a month.  The fraternity grievance committee ordered this process.

Perry showed no remorse for his participation in the slaying of the raccoon.  In an article printed 1/30/4 in the Athens Banner-Herald Perry is quoted as saying “I think it’s just a bunch of bull--.  They’re just making the media happy. “I didn’t do nothing wrong.  I just skinned an animal, and I’d do it again”.

Zimmerman reached an agreement with the Athens-Clarke County Solicitor General, Ralph Powell to serve 6 months of pre-trial probation.  He was charged in February 2005 with misdemeanor animal cruelty and faced as much as a year in prison and a $1,000 fine, but a trial that was set for August 2004 was postponed after he volunteered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. If Zimmerman successfully completes probation, he will not have to stand trial, however, his arrest record will remain.

In agreeing to pre-trial probation, Zimmerman did not admit guilt but conceded there was a probability he would be convicted at trial.

Zimmerman, who was a sophomore at UGA is no longer registered, according to the school’s registrar’s office.

Reference:

The Augusta Chronicle

Athens Banner-Herald