BOSTON (CBS) – Matthew Abraham, the man charged with trying to get into the tiger exhibit at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, has been ordered to stay away from the zoo by a judge.
Abraham pleaded not guilty to trespassing and other charges at his arraignment Tuesday in Dorchester District Court. He was released on personal recognizance bail.
State Police said Abraham broke into the zoo before it opened to the public Monday morning and ignored multiple restricted area signs as he scaled three different fences trying to get into the tiger area.
According to the arrest report, he ignored the first worker who approached him, but failed to get over the final fence that separates the tigers from zoo staff. Security captured him and turned him over to State Police.
The report also said at the time, Boston EMS evaluated Abraham, deeming him mentally competent. During court on Tuesday though, the assistant district attorney raised questions about his mental health.
“There are some things that are concerning from the Commonwealth’s perspective,” said prosecutor Amanda Cascione.
Abraham’s defense attorney said he believed his client, who is a current student at Worcester State University, is stable.
Abraham told WBZ-TV Monday he didn’t realize he was in a restricted area until security confronted him.
“The gate shouldn’t have been open, I walked in,” Abraham said. “I didn’t mean to harm anybody, I wasn’t looking to harm the tiger, I wasn’t looking to harm myself neither.”
