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Ex-NC Turkey Plant Worker Pleads In Cruelty Case

A former Butterball plant worker accused of animal cruelty after videotape showed employees abusing turkeys has pleaded guilty in a North Carolina court. Brian Douglas entered his plea Tuesday. He will serve 30 days in jail followed by six months of probation and 36 months of supervised probation.

RAEFORD, N.C. (AP) — A former Butterball plant worker accused of animal cruelty after videotape showed employees abusing turkeys has pleaded guilty in a North Carolina court.

Brian Douglas entered his plea Tuesday. He will serve 30 days in jail followed by six months of probation and 36 months of supervised probation after he was recorded abusing birds at the Shannon Butterball Farm in Hoke County last year.

Douglas was also ordered to pay $550 in fines and was ordered to provide a DNA sample to the state.

The Raeford man was one of several people seen stomping, kicking and bashing live birds. Six other workers were charged in the case.

A state agriculture official who tipped off the company about the cruelty case pleaded guilty in February to obstruction of justice.

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