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Parrot may be used as witness in murder trial after repeating ‘don’t shoot’
Prosecutors in America are trying to work out whether they can use a parrot as a witness in a murder case after it apparently described the last words of the victim.
Glenna Duram, 48, is charged with the murder of her husband, Martin, in front of the couple's pet African grey parrot at their home in Michigan in 2015.
His relatives believe Bud overheard the couple arguing and has been parroting back their final words, switching between a male and female voice.
“Get out,” he has squawked.
“Where will I go?
“Don't f***ing shoot.”
But it leaves prosecutors with a headache. Are the words admissable in court?
Robert Springstead, Newaygo County prosecutor, told the Detroit Free Press: “It’s an interesting novelty and it’s been a great opportunity for me to learn about African parrots.
“It is something we are going to be looking at to determine if it's reliable to use or if it's information we need to prosecute this case.”
However, he ruled out asking the bird to take the witness stand.
Mrs Duram is accused of shooting her husband five times before trying to kill herself. She survived a bullet wound to the head.
Her husband's relatives believe they argued over unpaid bills and her gambling debts.
Mr Duram's former wife Christine Keller, who now looks after Bud, said the parrot used two different voices to depict the couple quarreling.
“I believe with all my heart that those are the last words of Marty,” she said. “I recognise two different voices screaming and yelling and it always ends with, ‘Don’t f***ing shoot.'"
It would not be the first time a parrot's statement has been considered for use in a murder trial. In 1993, a defence lawyer for Gary Joseph Rasp argued that an African Grey may hold the key to who killed its owner.
The bird said repeatedly,"Richard, no, no, no," suggesting his client was not guilty but a judge in North California ruled that the evidence could not be used and Rasp was convicted.