Around mid-October I blogged about a lawsuit filed by a 90 year old southern California woman named Lurlie Adams who sold her chinchilla farm to The Simpsons producer Sam Simon who later deeded the farm and its animals over to PETA. Once the sale was complete, the chinchillas in the farm were either adopted or euthanized. Ms. Adams alleged she was the victim of a slander campaign conducted by PETA. The group allegedly had filmed a video on her farm without her consent and later Ms. Adams states the group used the footage as part of a propaganda effort stating that the chinchillas she owned were being abused on her farm. Consequently, Lurlie Adams filed a $2.5 million lawsuit alleging defamation of character, emotional distress and to include Sam Simon in the lawsuit.

Unfortunately, Ms. Adams passed away earlier this month. The Union Tribune of San Diego states, the judge overseeing the case, Superior Court Judge Timothy Casserly, issued a tentative ruling that he may dismiss most of the lawsuit. Judge Casserly expressed hopes that PETA and Ms. Adams’ daughter will be able to settle allowing for a continuance of the case so both parties could negotiate. Judge Casserly also stated in his tentative ruling that Lurlie Adams did not meet the burden of proof in her claims against PETA for unfair business practices and infliction of emotional distress, and there was not enough evidence to include Sam Simon in the lawsuit.

Lurlie Adams may very well have had her character defamed since she stated that she took good care of the chinchillas though admitting she didn’t when she first started her chinchilla pelt business 48 years ago. However, her biggest mistake was not doing the due diligence on Sam Simon and it looks like she may have lacked legal representation as the transaction to sell her chinchilla farm commenced. None the less, this story should be a warning to anyone involved in the legal animal trade. I have no doubt PETA used deception since lying and deception is what environmentalist do routinely. Perhaps if any justice is to be served is that the Adams family maybe able to sue the group for producing the video with footage illegal taken from her farm. One can only hope.