Missouri man fights for custody of chimp

Friday, January 22, 2010 | 11:33 a.m. CST
BY The Associated Press

SARASOTA, Fla. — A 13-pound baby chimpanzee named Eli is headed to court for a custody dispute in Sarasota.

Eli will be in court Friday for a hearing on whether DNA testing should be used to determine where she was born.

James Casey of Missouri says the infant primate was born at his chimpanzee farm he ran with his ex-wife during a bitter divorce proceeding. He says the chimp was taken from his property against a court order.

Casey's attorney argues that the DNA test should be allowed based on a Florida law usually used in family law cases.

Eli's current caretaker, Virginia Valbuena, says the chimp came from a wildlife park in California.

Valbuena's attorney says the potential for fraud in DNA testing is high, since the Florida Department of Revenue usually handles paternity tests.

 

 

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