A Manhattan judge today denied a petition for habeas corpus to release two chimpanzees held by the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The petition was filed earlier this year by the Nonhuman Rights Project. Today's court decision cited the amicus brief I filed earlier this year on behalf of the Center for the Study of the Great Ideas oppositing the petition.

The court seemed sympathetic to the petitioner's request, but denied the writ, holding it was bound by a recent Appellate Division decision, ruling unanimously that chimpanzees are not legal persons.

That case is on appeal to the Court of Appeals, New York's highest court, and I also filed an amicus brief in that case. A decision on whether the high court will hear the case is expected this Fall.