USPS Worker Charged With Animal Cruelty for Beating Pasadena White Peacock

A U.S. Postal Service worker was charged with a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals after being captured on video beating Sugar, a white peacock well known in a Pasadena neighborhood, according to court records and authorities.

Charanjit Singh Charged with Misdemeanor Animal Cruelty

Los Angeles County prosecutors identified the suspect in court records as Charanjit Singh. The 48-year-old Rosemead resident received the charge Thursday in connection with the Aug. 18 incident, court records show. It is the first time the mail carrier has been identified since the incident.

Singh could not immediately be reached for comment regarding the charge. The U.S. Postal Service is conducting an investigation into the matter, though the agency did not respond to a request for comment.

Security Footage Captures Attack on Mohawk Street

The incident came to light after a local resident reviewed home security footage following the discovery of the injured bird in the 3700 block of Mohawk Street. Gina Davis, a Pasadena schoolteacher, stated in a previous interview that she checked her cameras and found footage of a postal worker throwing a rock at the bird before striking it with a club or stick.

Davis said the peacock was standing in front of the mail truck when the driver exited the vehicle and hit the animal in the head or neck. The bird, which lived in the neighborhood for years, was known for a distinct disposition toward men. Davis noted that the bird had previously chased off her husband and a neighbor.

Her husband had named the bird Sugar. Because it was white, not because of his personality, Davis said.

Recovery and Relocation to Northern California

Following the attack, the Pasadena Humane Society rushed the bird to its Wildlife Center. Veterinarians examined the fowl and found swelling, though no broken bones were detected.

The criminal charge against Singh was filed a week after the Pasadena Humane Society announced that the white fowl had recovered and was moved to a private ranch in Northern California. Wildlife experts with the nonprofit determined that relocation offered the bird the best quality of life and reduced the risk of future negative encounters, citing the significant public attention surrounding the case.

Upcoming Court Date Set for November

Singh is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 6. Legal proceedings will determine the next steps in the misdemeanor animal cruelty case filed by Los Angeles County prosecutors.