For all you who said that nothing would be done to the 5 who illegally hunted and killed a Gray whale last fall, your day has come.
What a crock of #$%*!


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004415609_makah16m.html

Makah judge fails to empanel jury to prosecute whalers
By Lynda V. Mapes

Seattle Times staff reporter


They promised tough prosecution, but in the end the Makah Nation couldn't put together a jury to try five whalers who were charged with illegally killing a gray whale off Neah Bay last fall.

Tribal Judge Stanley Myers on Wednesday instead granted the men one-year deferred prosecution and promised to dismiss the charges if they committed no offenses during that time. The whalers also were each ordered to pay a $20 fine.

The deferral came after the judge summoned more than 200 people from the remote village of Neah Bay on the Olympic Peninsula to serve as potential jurors. But the judge gave up on empaneling a jury because just about everyone was either related or said they had strong feelings about the case, according to one of the whalers, Wayne Johnson.

It was a far cry from last fall, just after the five men shot and harpooned a gray whale in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The animal slowly bled to death and died some nine hours later.

Then, a tribal council held a news conference and flew to Washington, D.C., to promise swift and sure prosecution. With a request pending before the federal fisheries service for a waiver to enable the tribe to whale legally, the rogue hunt was a major embarrassment.

"We are a law-abiding people and we will not tolerate lawless conduct by any of our members," they said in a prepared statement at the time.

The men also were indicted in federal court with crimes that could have meant up to a year in jail and $100,000 fines. In the end, federal prosecutors offered a plea deal that meant no jail time as part of a settlement that included the tribe waiving its prosecution in tribal court.

Three of the whalers took the deal, and sentencing in federal court is set for June. Two other whalers refused to plead guilty and were found guilty by the judge in Tacoma. They are appealing the conviction but face sentencing in June, including fines and possibly community service, but very likely no jail time.

Last month, the tribal judge surprised many when he refused to honor the federal plea deal and instead ordered all five whalers to stand trial in Neah Bay.

Johnson said yesterday he would have gladly faced trial and would have appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend his treaty rights to kill a whale. Asked whether he'd do it any differently if he could do it over, he answered, "I'd land the whale on the beach."

Animal-rights activists were dismayed at the tribal judge's ruling Wednesday.

"There should have been a better show of discipline here," said Naomi Rose, lead scientist with the Humane Society of the United States in Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, a public comment period is now under way on a federal draft environmental-impact statement on the tribe's proposal to legally whale under their treaty. A public hearing is scheduled in Seattle on June 2.

Hey, $20 is a lot of money.

This sure won't help their chances to get a permit...and I'm surprised they didn't think of that when getting this handled up.

Fish on...

Todd

Just more proof that we all need to live under one nation, not several soveriegn nations.

just my 2 cents

+1

In the other world that we live in if they can't empanel a jury because of reasons like that they will change jurisdictions.

This should surprise no one. Just goes to show what a joke the system has become. Talk is cheap $20 cheap. Way to re-enforce every stereo type out there and I guess they become stereo types for the reason. Nothing to stop the slaughter of any animal by the tribes deer, elk, salmon, steelhead, etc can now be kill with no worries about prosecution. Just pay 20 bucks out and be done.

JJ

You are right, this set's a horrible presidence that will inevitably lead to more wrongdoings and carelessness for the law by the Tirbe, watch and see.

I don't know about you guys, but my gut feeling was that this was pre-concieved, and that the good old boy club at the tribe just went through the motions on this one in order to put it behind them. I truly don't beleive they ever had any intention to do anything to the 5 illegal whalers...

Actions...louder than words.

I told you so.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

They will all be banished to a tavern off the reservation where they will have to serve their sentence. What did you expect.

Doesn't appear as though there concerned about permits, why should they be?

Read this and complain
Reply with bad remarks
Complain about the $20.00 fine
Go to Neah Bay Pay your Res permit $20.00???
pay for launch $$$$$
Pay moorage $$$$$
Just like last time we will hear about all your
great fishing trips to Neah Bay.
Say as you do
Can't wait to about all your great Neah Bay Reports
this year again.

Do as you say you are going to or
don't complain.

That's a case of Busch Light each they have to give to the tribal judge for letting them off....




...Which he will bring by later that night to share with them since he is both their cousin and their brother in law.

Waggon burners,what a joke.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

That's rich. They accomplished their goal, which was thumbing their noses at the rest of us. They paid a $20 fee to tell the US government to F off.

" The deferral came after the judge summoned more than 200 people from the remote village of Neah Bay on the Olympic Peninsula to serve as potential jurors. "

Makes it sound like they walked 40 miles cross country with babies on their backs stopping every few miles for a whale jerky snack.. when in reality, they gassed up the Chevy at the Kwiki mart, grabbed a micro wave burrito and hit the road

We all got screwed because they got away with this. Oh, and by the way when "we" were being blamed for killing the sea lions at bonneville, they weren't talking about 20 dollar fines.

Oh, and the sea lions at bonneville died of heatstroke...

Ain't it great to have a target on your back?

This is a sad day.
They are not being held accountable for their actions. Its a refelection on the Makah that they are irresposible renegades who cannot be trusted. Shame upon the Makah.

I support their rights to treaty fishing and whaling - but this was done outside their own rules and still they do hold the men accountable.

Additionally - it is a great insight into the new indian mentality. No longer are they stewards of the land and animals. Instead they are grabbing all they can get - similar to what European settlers did in the past and as far as I am concerned still do today. We are all the same in that regard - however if I run a gillnet off my beach or spear and kill a whale I have no doubt I would become a felon, and not get a $20 fine.

This will prove to be an inspirational moment on the reservation for the younger generation. They wil propagate the notion that 'we can do what we want when we want'.

It's truly shameful. If only they had walked the walk and not just talked the talk - that would have bolstered the case that the tribe is truly responsible and not full of BS when they say they care for the environment.

The old indians are dead and these idiots are what the new indians appear to look like. Lawbreaking renegades with no regard for law or life.

Permit? ......... Permit? ............ We don't need no stinkin' permit.

Would/will be interesting to see what the Supreme Court says.

You have until June 8th to submit your comments to NOAA regarding the Makah whale hunt permitting process.
The email address to to NOAA is at the bottom of this Seattle PI article.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/362594_makah10.html

I'll second the motion, this isn't the first time.