It was a case that captured imaginations, tested legal boundaries, and ultimately reshaped the way many people think about protest, compassion, and accountability. In September 2021, animal rights activists Alexandra Paul (best known for her role on Baywatch) and Alicia Santurio, both part of the grassroots group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), performed an open rescue: removing two chickens they said were sick from a transport truck in Livingston, California.

They believed the animals—later named Ethan and Jax—were suffering. Video from the day showed them taking action because they insisted the chickens were unwell.

The next day, DxE released hidden‑camera footage from inside the slaughterhouse, alleging serious welfare lapses: for example chickens missing the stun bath, devices failing to cut necks in time, and conscious birds being moved toward evisceration at a fast pace—sometimes 140 birds per minute. The company is invited on any time to respond.

Charged with misdemeanor theft, Paul and Santurio stood trial in Merced County in March 2023. The defense called a veterinarian who testified the chickens were indeed sick, suffering from a contagious coronavirus.

One of the animals, Ethan, died shortly after the rescue due to illness; Jax survived and was cared for in sanctuary.

After several days of testimony—and six hours of jury deliberation—the verdict came: not guilty on all theft charges.

The jury accepted that the defendants’ motives were to relieve suffering. For many observers, this ruling didn’t simply acquit two activists—it affirmed a broader legal and moral question: when does rescuing become a duty rather than a crime?

In the courtroom and in public afterward, Paul made clear this was not just about two chickens. She described the verdict as a victory for animal rights and signaled she would do it again—if the situation required.

The case amplified the concept of open rescue—that rescuers can openly identify themselves, document suffering, and argue necessity in court. It has since become a reference point for legal scholars, activists, and anyone interested in animal welfare law.
righttorescue.com

Looking back, this trial did something rare: it forced a legal system, and a public, to weigh compassion, transparency, and suffering in a new way. It changed not just what people knew about factory farms, but how they think about the rights of those unable to speak for themselves.