Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Rooster stabs man to death at cockfight

Ap
Wednesday 09 February 2011 01:00 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A man attending an illegal cockfight in central California died after being stabbed in the leg by a bird that had a knife attached to its own limb.

Jose Luis Ochoa, 35, was declared dead at a hospital about two hours after he was injured on 30 January, the Kern County coroner said. An autopsy concluded that Mr Ochoa died of an accidental "sharp force injury" to his right calf.

"I have never seen this type of incident," Sergeant Martin King, a 24-year veteran of the sheriff's department, told The Bakersfield Californian newspaper.

Mr Ochoa and the other spectators fled when authorities arrived at the scene of the fight. Deputies found five dead roosters and other evidence of cockfighting at the location. No arrests were made.

It was unclear if a delay in seeking medical attention contributed to Mr Ochoa's death.

Cockfighting is a sport, illegal in the United States, in which specially bred roosters are put into a ring and encouraged to fight until one is incapacitated or killed.

According to Kern County Superior Court records, Mr Ochoa paid $370 (£230) in fines last year after pleading no contest to one count of owning or training an animal for fighting. Attending or organising a cockfight, or training an animal to participate in one, are all misdemeanours under Californian law.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in