In 2019, Marc C. Naron, Esq., of D.R. Patti & Associates filed suit on behalf of 15-year old Genevieve Urena for personal injuries she sustained when she was bitten by Wayne Newton’s pet monkey named Boo. Rolling Stone, amongst others, wrote an article about the case. The text of the article is re-printed below.
Wayne Newton Sued After Pet Monkey Bites Visitor at Famed Mansion
An unleashed capuchin named Boo allegedly bit a 15-year-old girl during a tour of the singer’s former mansion-turned-tourist attraction Casa de Shenandoah
By Jon Blistein
Las Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton is being sued by a woman who claims his pet monkey bit and injured her daughter during a visit to the singer’s former mansion-turned-tourist attraction two years ago, The Associated Press reports.
Jocelyne Urena, a Vegas resident, filed a civil negligence complaint on behalf of her daughter, Genevieve, on Wednesday. She’s seeking at least $15,000 in damages.
Genevieve was 15-years-old when, during a tour of Newton’s former home, Casa de Shenandoah, a capuchin monkey named Boo allegedly bit her right wrist. The lawsuit alleges the monkey – who was not caged or on a leash at the time – attacked Genevieve without provocation. Urena’s lawyer said Genevieve required hospital treatment, follow-up medical treatment and counseling, while the bite also left her with a scar.
In response to the lawsuit, Newton’s wife, Kathleen McCrone Newton, shared a statement with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, noting that Newton’s company severed ties with the company running Casa de Shenandoah in July 2017, three months prior to the alleged monkey attack. Ironically, McCrone Newton said the family pulled out of the business venture “due to Wayne’s almost dying from a spider bite” and being hospitalized.
McCone Newton added, “[W]e are not party and have no idea what happened in Oct. 2017… John Munson and his company took over July 1, 2017.”
Newton and his family lived at Casa de Shenandoah for over 40 years, but sold it in 2010 to investors, who converted it into a tourist spot and museum (the company, CSD LLC, is also named in Urena’s lawsuit). Newton and his family moved to a different home in 2013.
Pet and other animals can be so cute; but they can also be dangerous, if not outright deadly. If you or a loved one have been injured by a pet or other animal, you may have a personal injury claim. Call and speak to a Las Vegas personal injury at D.R. Patti & Associates to find out what your rights are.