The case to free Happy the elephant from the Bronx Zoo

Is an elephant a person? For some, the answer may be a clear 'no.' But many animal rights advocates believe that animals, including elephants, should receive legal protections similar to humans.

The debate is at the center of a trial now underway in New York state's top appellate court — and it has implications for animals across the country and perhaps around the world.

Host Anthony Brooks speaks with author and Harvard historian Jill Lepore.