Oklahoma was one of the last U.S. states to outlaw cockfighting. A new proposal to weaken penalties for the crime passed the OK House, worrying opponents who thought the matter settled.
Before Oklahoma became one of the last places in the U.S. to outlaw cockfighting in 2002, it wasn't uncommon to see hundreds of spectators packed into small arenas in rural parts of the state to watch roosters, often outfitted with razor-sharp steel blades, fight until a bloody death. More than 20 years after the ban took effect, some worry Oklahoma is starting to waver. A proposal to weaken cockfighting penalties cleared the Oklahoma House.
Drew Edmondson, a former county prosecutor and attorney general for Oklahoma, now serves as a law enforcement co-chair for Animal Wellness Action. He said it's easy to understand why some elected officials in Oklahoma, even sheriffs, might look the other way when it comes to cockfighting. He called it a combination of money and politics.
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Oklahoma's push to weaken penalties for cockfighting is frustrating opponents of the bloodsportBefore Oklahoma became one of the last places in the U.S. to outlaw cockfighting in 2002, it wasn't uncommon to see the bloodsport draw hundreds of spectators. Now, more than 20 years later, some worry Oklahoma is starting to waver. A proposal to weaken cockfighting penalties cleared the Oklahoma House.
Read more »