John Geick was charged with a misdemeanor on March 5 for actions allegedly committed against Zeus, a male swan that resided at Manzanita Lake on the University of Nevada, Reno’s campus. Geick has been charged with violating NRS 574.100, commonly referred to as animal cruelty, and will appear in Reno’s Municipal Court on Nov. 6 for a bench trial, meaning the defendant has waived their right to a trial by jury. Motions were filed on Oct. 21 and Oct. 27 to dismiss the charge, though no decision has been made yet.
Court documents describe the charge as “Overdrive, Torture, Injure, Abandon or Starve Animal.” Geick is not being charged with killing the swan. Zeus was announced dead by UNR on March 5, and the results of a necropsy conducted by the Necropsy Services Group were announced in July. The necropsy found that the swan died of natural causes and showed no signs of trauma.
Zeus’ death sparked various rumors and allegations online, with students speculating on the anonymous social media app Yik Yak that fraternity members were responsible…