Can food processing facilities be held accountable for animal cruelty? That question is at the heart of a fierce courtroom battle in Northern California. The defense says yes, of course. Just because animals are killed for food doesn't mean they don’t feel pain and suffering. But, prosecutors argue that food processors cannot be held legally accountable for animal cruelty. What the….?

The culture war over industrialized animal agriculture and what goes on behind the closed doors of factory farms and slaughterhouses has burst out into open court, leading UnchainedTV to call for LIVE cameras in all California slaughterhouses and factory farms, with LIVE footage beamed to the public.

Defendant Zoe Rosenberg, a 23-year old UC Berkeley undergrad, faces half a decade in prison for rescuing 4 chickens, she described as sick and suffering, from a slaughterhouse. She is someone whose love of animals, and chickens in particular, stems back to childhood. She founded a farmed animal sanctuary called Happy Hen Sanctuary when she was only 11, with the help of her veterinarian mom.

However, prosecutors are trying to paint her, a member of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), as a radical animal rights activist and the company in question has described her chicken rescue as bordering on “agro terrorism.” Zoe’s supporters say the terrorism is what’s being to done to chickens on the slaughter line. Zoe has maintained seeing evidence of birds flailing on the kill line and being scalded alive. The company denies the cruelty allegations saying it has the highest animal welfare standards. They are invited on UnchainedTV any time.

Now, with Zoe on the witness stand, facing fierce cross-examination, the battle is over what prosecutors can show regarding her past protests. They will reportedly be able to mention that she once interrupted an NBA playoff game by chaining herself to the basketball stand. But, will they be able to show the footage that was broadcast on national television? The trial is now in its finishing up its 6th week and heading into its 7th week. Are jurors getting irritated and, if so, at which side? The Sonoma County DA’s appearance in the courtroom gallery is a sign of how much is at stake in this closely watched case. Ironically, the value of these 4 rescued chickens has been described as being about 24-dollars… if they were healthy, which the defense says they were not. How much have taxpayers spent on this prosecution? Millions? We may never know.

Now, UnchainedTV’s Jane Velez-Mitchell leads coverage with an expert panel and reporter Matthew Zirbel LIVE at the courthouse.