An adult actress has been ordered to stand trial on criminal cruelty charges in a case which will put the controversial "crush videos" on trial as well, the Associated Press reports.
Diane Aileen Chaffin and Gary L. Thomason, who authorities say videotaped her stomping mice and rats to death in one such fetish film, could face up to four years behind bars if convicted on three felony counts.
Chaffin is the alleged star of The Tails of Charlie's Ankles. She and Thomason are the only ones arrested following a year-long undercover probe of crush videos sold online to those who get sexual pleasure watching women destroy small animals, the AP says.
Earlier this week, a California congressman held a press conference to raise support for his bill to ban the videos. Actor and animal rights activist Mickey Rooney and his wife were among those there to back the bill.
Critics say the bill is so broad it could allow those who make legitimate animal documentaries and even magazines showing photographs of bullfights to be prosecuted.
The AP says prosecutors played a short segment of the video at Chaffin's preliminary hearing Thursday. It showed a woman wearing high heel sandals and other shoes "taunting and then crushing mice". Authorities say a dozen rats and mice, some of them babies, were killed on the video.
Chaffin's public defender says she should face misdemeanor charges only, because California animal cruelty laws don't cover rodents.
--- Philo Levin
