New Mexico Man Faces Decade in Prison for Using His Teeth as a Weapon
A New Mexico man is facing a potential sentence of up to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, an act that resulted in the victim suffering an amputation. What makes this case particularly unusual is the choice of weapon: not a knife, a bat, or even an axe, but the man’s own mouth.
Darold ZunieFeathers, a resident of the Zuni tribal area within New Mexico, committed a vicious attack by biting another man. The severity of the attack led to the victim requiring the amputation of one finger and a portion of another, according to information released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The brutal event unfolded on the Pueblo of Zuni reservation. According to court documents filed in the District of New Mexico, the two men were on a late-night drive with the intention of purchasing cigarettes when the assault occurred. While relatively rare, human bite attacks are known for posing a significant risk of infection, making them exceptionally dangerous.
"The United States Attorney’s Office is dedicated to prosecuting assaults committed with dangerous weapons within Indian Country, and this includes assaults perpetrated through biting," stated Holland S. Kastrin, acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Mexico, in a statement to USA TODAY. “While teeth are not typically considered in this manner, they can legally be classified as dangerous weapons. In this particular case, the biting assault resulted in an amputation and partial amputation, leaving no doubt as to the harm that teeth can inflict.”
ZunieFeathers, who is 28 years old, and the victim, identified as John Doe in court documents, were socializing with friends when they decided to make a late-night run for cigarettes before the local gas station closed.
ZunieFeathers, in his guilty plea agreement, described the events leading up to the attack: "I drove, and then decided to turn down a side dirt road. I struck him repeatedly, and then I bit John Doe multiple times on the torso, arm, and hand. The bites severely damaged John Doe’s hand."
The location of the attack was the Pueblo of Zuni reservation, situated in McKinley County, New Mexico. Court filings indicate that the incident transpired between December 16 and 17, 2021. ZunieFeathers officially entered his guilty plea on Friday.
The Pueblo of Zuni is located 150 miles west of Albuquerque in the Zuni River valley, bordering the state of Arizona. It serves as the home to the Zuni Tribe, a group of indigenous Pueblo people.
The case falls under the jurisdiction of the federal court system due to the Major Crimes Act. This law grants federal authorities jurisdiction over specific crimes, including assault, when committed by Native Americans within Native territory.
The precise catalyst for the assault remains unclear in the court filings. Requests for comment from ZunieFeathers’ attorney have not yet been answered.
This is not ZunieFeathers’ first encounter with the legal system. He was previously sentenced to two and a half years in prison in 2017 for involuntary manslaughter. This conviction stemmed from an incident where he ran over a man with his blue pickup truck, according to federal court documents.
Human bite attacks are not common. Healthcare providers treat approximately 250,000 bite-related injuries each year, accounting for a mere 3% of all bites seen in emergency rooms, according to data from the Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center.
Most bites occur between children. Among adults, bites typically happen indirectly during fist fights, often when someone is struck in the mouth. Human teeth lack significant sharpness, and these types of incidents usually result only in bruising, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The force exerted by a human bite is actually relatively weak. The Cleveland Clinic estimates a human bite force to be around 162 psi (pounds per square inch). In contrast, some dog breeds can generate up to 250 psi. A bear bite can reach a staggering 1,000 psi.
The danger associated with human bites lies primarily in the risk of infection. The Mayo Clinic considers human bites to be "as dangerous or even more dangerous than animal bites.” This increased danger stems from the vast quantities of bacteria and viruses that reside within the human mouth.
The risk of infection following a human bite is so significant that one in ten children who are bitten will develop an infection, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The potential severity of a human bite is such that even a bite from a toddler can result in a life-altering injury.
A case study published in the Journal of International Medical Research in 2021 highlighted an instance where a 3-year-old child bit a 68-year-old man on the forearm, leading to a gangrene infection. The man was forced to undergo an amputation of his limb within 24 hours.
Photos of the infected arm included in the study depicted a visible chunk of skin missing from the 4-centimeter bite. The area of the arm below the bite appeared black and swollen, underscoring the speed and severity of the infection. The case illustrates the potentially devastating consequences of what may seem like a minor injury.
