 Arraignment
for a
Boundary
County
man facing federal felony charges for killing a
grizzly bear at his home May 8 has been
scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, August 23, in
Federal District Court
in Coeur d’Alene.
And while County
Commissioners have been working with state and
federal agencies for years to see the grizzly
bear population recover, in this case, they’re
standing beside the defendant, Jeremy Hill, 33,
and have drafted a letter, which is being sent
to Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, the Idaho
U.S. Congressional delegation, and the Idaho
District 1 Delegation, seeking to have the
charges dismissed.
“In this case, a grizzly
sow and two cubs were on Hill’s property more
than five miles outside any recovery zone,” said
Commission chairman Ron Smith. “Jeremy and his
wife have six young children, and the bears
posed a threat to his family. It is the
unanimous conviction of this board that Jeremy
Hill had not only the right but the obligation
to protect his children and his family.”
So, apparently, did local
Idaho Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife
enforcement officers, who did not recommend that
charges be brought. That recommendation was
over-ruled in Washington,
D.C.,
and the charge was filed August 8 by U.S.
Attorney Wendy Olson.
If convicted, the penalty for killing an animal
listed as threatened under the endangered
species act is up to one year in prison and a
fine of up to $50,000.
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