Can the IF&G screw up? Go ask Rex Rammell, right? Nevermind, don't. But seriously, we should expect that because people are not perfect, and government agencies are run by people, that government agencies don't always act perfectly. Wait, government agencies aren't perfect? Whoa - now that's an eye popper.
One North Idaho man is suing the IF&G in federal court for "civil rights violations, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution and slander." This comes after he was accused of poaching an elk on September 14, 2009, the day before archery season opened. Eyewitnesses on the date witnessed that they had seen Roland Hall approach a freshly killed elk.
Mr. Hall was apparently with, accompanied by, or somehow associated with Dennis Liermann Jr. on that day when they were seen approaching a couple of poached bulls. Felony charges were soon brought against both men. Liermann eventually pled guilty to misdemeanor poaching, and spent a few days in jail. Charges against Hall were amended several times, and then eventually dropped.
From the Bonner County Daily Bee story:
Hall alleges in the suit that Fish & Game officials knew he was innocent of the crime but pressured his prosecution, withheld exculpatory evidence and issued press releases containing information it knew to be false.
In case you forgot what "exculpatory" means: applied to evidence which may justify or excuse an accused defendant's actions, and which will tend to show the defendant is not guilty or has no criminal intent.
In other words, Hall believes that IF&G had evidence that he was not guilty. Amended and then dropped charges would seem to be consistent with that. But how about the fact that the prosecutors moved to dismiss the case against Hall after the Judge ruled that remarks by Hall to investigators were inadmissible because Hall was not advised of his Miranda Rights? Oops.
So what is the truth of it all? Hall claims he did not know that his buddy, Liermann Jr., intended to poach 2 bull elk on the day before the season opened. Hopefully we'll find out more soon. Not only is the IF&G the defendent, but so are the two conservation officers involved.
