Monkey Business: California Man Stages Mexican Picture to Hide Marmoset

David Grigorian really loves his marmoset monkey. In January, Grigorian was arrested for shouting criminal threats in front of a house — a practice common among marmoset monkeys but less tolerated in Van Nuys, California. They soon found that he had a monkey named Cheeta but no monkey permit (yes, there appears to be a “monkey permit”). When ordered to turn over the monkey, Grigorian took an idea for countless kidnap movies: he showed a picture of Cheeta holding a Mexican newspaper with Mexican decorations to prove that he was now in Mexico. The Court did not buy it and Grigorian, 43, admitted that Cheeta was hiding out in an undisclosed location in Los Angeles.

Grigorian took careful steps to not only photograph Cheeta with a recent Mexican newspaper but sitting in a scene festooned with red, white, and green decorations.

Grigorian must now turn over the monkey to clear the charge of “harboring an undocumented primate.” (Many women made this particular allegations when breaking off relationships).

He is unlikely to get a “monkey permit” however because they are restricted to educational or professional purposes. ,

Grigorian has pleaded guilty to illegal animal possession but does not appear to be facing any charges for lying to the court about Cheeta being South of the Border.

Of course, this is precisely what the National Monkey Association said about monkey permits: If having monkeys is criminal, then only criminals will have monkeys.

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