PETA Wants Exhibitor Charged With Homicide
PETA is calling for reckless homicide charges to be filed against Sam Mazzola, the former operator of notorious “wrestling bear” shows and the owner of a bear who mauled a 24-year-old Ohio man to death in August of 2010. The recently released autopsy report for Brent Kandra, who was reportedly feeding the bear when he was fatally attacked, shows that the extent and duration of the mauling was far greater than originally thought.
Kandra suffered 658 wounds, including a laceration to his left brachial artery, two broken ribs, a puncture wound to his heart, and lacerations of his spleen, left kidney, and left lung. According to the autopsy report, the young man died from “multiple blunt impacts and sharp force injuries to the head, torso and extremities.”
In a letter to the Lorain County prosecuting attorney, PETA writes, “This compelling new evidence, coupled with Mazzola’s evasive 911 call …, call into question Mazzola’s claim that he was with Brent when the attack occurred, instead suggesting that Brent was alone with the bear when he was attacked, and that Mazzola failed to timely intervene and seek assistance for Brent.”
Kandra’s parents say they feel Mazzola was negligent and are closely watching the case. They are also asking the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Governor John Kasich to enforce the ban on exotic animals that former Governor Ted Strickland enacted. Governor Kasich suspended the ban after complaints from exotic-animal owners, but Kandra’s parents feel the ban is necessary to prevent future tragedies like the death of their son. Who can argue with them?
Written by Michelle Sherrow
