"Something Bruin"

[mountainpass]

http://www.thetribunepapers.com/2014/04/11/federal-judge-to-hear-motions-in-bruingate-cases/

Federal judge Martin Reidinger has asked opposing sides to submit briefs debating whether his court has the jurisdiction to hear two “Operation Something Bruin” cases in which state charges against the defendants have already been dropped.

Both men were originally arrested on an array of poaching and illegal hunting state charges, but all state charges against them were subsequently dropped (see below). At that point, the agencies that carried out “Operation Something Bruin” reintroduced the charges in federal court. The question before Reidinger’s court now is whether the charges should be heard at all, considering that the state charges were dropped due to lack of evidence and improper law enforcement procedures.

However, as the year went by and the cases went forward, both the evidence submitted and the testimony of defendants and officers alike began to cast a different light on Operation Something Bruin. Finally, this past February, numerous people whose lives had been affected by Operation Something Bruin told their stories at a town hall meeting in Bryson City. And as their stories unfolded, OSB’s pedestal began to crumble.

Perhaps the most bizarre account was that of a little girl who recounted that armed agents had raided her house, having received “a tip” that the family was harboring and feeding a baby bear. It emerged that the child, who according to her father has “a vivid imagination,” had been telling teachers and classmates that she had a bear at home with whom she had tea parties. One teacher, observers said, had a family member who was a game warden, though it’s unclear whether there was any connection between that fact and the eventual raid on the little girl’s home.

The bear in question, of course, was a teddy bear. On seeing this, according to the father, the officers conducting the raid “kind of laughed,” but searched the house anyway.

 

[RamRoddoc]

Link, link, link, recht, link.... Head and eyes to the front.

Federal assault door kickers coming into our citizen's homes for poaching seems to me a bit excessive. But hey what do I know I'm just a lowly citizen.

In June of 2013, ten defendants pleaded guilty to a variety of misdemeanor charges ranging from outdated permits to driving on government land. Major charges against them were dropped. Poaching-related state charges were also dropped against most other defendants. That was when OSB officials resorted to resurrecting the charges at the federal level.

None of those later developments, it turned out, had received any acknowledgement from state or federal government sources, or any play in the media that had heaped praise on the OSB task force. Following the Bryson City meeting, public information officer Geoff Cantrell of the state Wildlife Resource Commission’s law enforcement division declined comment saying that not all cases have yet been settled. “We are aware of the criticism,” he said, “but until those arrested are given a verdict in a court of law we will not debate Operation Something Bruin in the court of public opinion.”

How about state court..... Oh yeah, never mind.

 

[7pt62THOR]

Poachers are lower than low, but so are the feds that employ those tactics to entrap.

 

[Bear44]

Poaching of bears in this region is so common it's almost a tradition. The reason that the bear population has become so good in recent years is because of a very large sting operation that LE did 10 or 15 years ago. Just sayin.

Oh yeah, I'm sure we're getting both sides of this story on this thread. LOL!

 

[hikingthehills]

when there isnt anything illegal going on, make some up!

That what it looks like to me.

 

[Ken Ford]

1000 people charged? Sounds like the laws need changed!

 

[sparked1]

Everyone is innocent once they get caught. I'm sure we're getting the full story here.

 

[Adeste]

Lawfully enforcing poaching laws: Fine

Entrapment and Armed Fedrales kicking down doors: Fascist, Elitist environmentalists/animal rights activists trying to show the little guy who's got the money, muscle and the final say. More left wing autocratic strong arm tactics.

 

[woodstock]

good grief

 

[mountainpass]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/poaching-investigation-under-fire-hunters-charged-/nfgz5/

When Georgia's Department of Natural Resources and North Carolina's Wildlife Resources Commission first announced the results of Operation Something Bruin in February 2013, they touted it as a huge success.
The two main officers involved were each named Officer of the Year in their respective states. There were news conferences, press releases, even pre-produced videos posted online trumpeting the results.
A year later, a Channel 2 Action News investigation found the web page has been taken down, local prosecutors in various counties have dismissed dozens of charges for lack of evidence, and the “80 wildlife violators” originally announced turned out to be inaccurate.

"That's all me and my son are guilty of, is trying to help someone," said Walt Stancil, who is facing a federal felony charge for illegally transporting a dead bear across state lines.
Investigation records show Stancil was not present when the officer killed the bear; nor was he present when the officer drove it across state lines.

"He said, ‘I've shot a bear, it's got away I need some help,’" recalls Cale Stancil.
The father and son drove up the trail and found the customer alone with the dead bear.
"We help him load the bear into the pickup, haul him down to where he is staying at, and unload his bear. We tell him ‘goodbye’ and don't see the guy since," said Cale Stancil.

Both Parkers are still facing federal charges for illegally hunting bear. Undercover officers targeted Parker's business as a main focus of their efforts.
"There are times when law enforcement in an undercover capacity, you have to break the law. But I can't find a reason in this Rabun County case why killing the bear adds anything to what we can prosecute," said Rickman.
Rickman has considered taking a criminal case against Arnold to a Rabun County grand jury, however even if there's an indictment, any charges could be kicked up to federal court, where the U.S. Attorneys who've supported the entire operation would have the option of just dismissing it.
"What I've seen is people get a zealousness for doing their job to a degree that it blinds them from good judgment sometimes,” Rickman said.