Jury deliberates fate of Berkeley activist accused of raiding Petaluma poultry plant, taking 4 chickens

A Sonoma County jury began deliberations Tuesday in the case of a Berkeley animal activist accused of trespassing at a Petaluma poultry facility and taking four chickens during a series of incursions two years ago.

Attorneys for 23-year-old Zoe Rosenberg and prosecutors from the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office delivered closing arguments after a three-week trial that centered on Rosenberg’s intent during the June 13, 2023, incident at Petaluma Poultry.

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Prosecutors said Rosenberg’s goal was to promote her organization, Direct Action Everywhere, or DxE, rather than rescue suffering animals. Her attorneys countered that she sincerely believed the chickens were being mistreated and acted out of compassion, not publicity.

“This is about Zoe Rosenberg’s sincere belief birds were suffering at a slaughterhouse,” defense attorney Chris Carraway told jurors.

Rosenberg faces one felony conspiracy charge and three misdemeanors tied to multiple trespassing incidents at the facility between April and June 2023. The case, overseen by Judge Kenneth Gnoss, has drawn national attention because of Rosenberg’s ties to DxE, a Bay Area-based animal rights group known for aggressive protests at farms and grocery stores.

Prosecutors allege Rosenberg entered Petaluma Poultry on May 21 and June 13, searched company files, and attached GPS tracking devices to vehicles before taking four birds.

In his closing argument, Deputy District Attorney Matthew Hobson questioned Rosenberg’s claims that the chickens were in distress, noting her defense team offered little evidence beyond testimony from fellow DxE members.

“There was no neutral party in this process. None,” Hobson said, arguing any injuries to the birds were likely caused by their sudden removal. He said the timing of the actions — coinciding with DxE’s annual Animal Liberation Conference — showed a coordinated effort to attract attention.

“There is a clear intent here,” Hobson said. “An organized intent.”

Hobson also questioned why Rosenberg took only four chickens if her goal was to save animals. Carraway countered that rescuing even a few birds could still raise awareness about animal cruelty.

“If this was some sort of criminal conspiracy, it’s the worst criminal conspiracy ever,” Carraway told jurors, adding that Rosenberg had contacted authorities about her concerns and that DxE openly shared footage of her taking the chickens.

Rosenberg was arrested in November 2023 outside the courthouse shortly after DxE co-founder Wayne Hsiung was sentenced to 90 days in jail and two years’ probation in a similar case. If convicted, she faces a sentence ranging from probation to five years in jail.

Another DxE member, Raven Deerbrook, who reached a plea deal last year, testified that she independently investigated animal cruelty at the facility and later shared her findings with Rosenberg.

Rosenberg has disputed several allegations but has never denied entering the facility or taking the chickens — an act filmed and publicized online by DxE. On the stand, she said she was glad the birds were able to receive proper care.

The verdict could carry significant weight in Sonoma County, where DxE has intensified protests targeting meat producers. The group supported a failed 2024 ballot measure to ban large-scale poultry and livestock operations and has staged demonstrations, blocked delivery trucks and picketed grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s that sell Petaluma Poultry products.