There is an update to the Henshaw Case. It doesn’t appear to be over yet.
The Buckingham man who lost his boars in a controversial government slaughter was convicted January 19 of operating an illegal hunting enclosure, but the judge is considering a motion to quash the complaint.
The September 12 [2006] predawn raid of Danny and Cindi Henshaw’s Gladstone hunting preserve and slaughter of at least 80 swine– including their two pet pigs, Cupid and Valentine– were to prevent pseudorabies, a highly infectious disease, the government says.
However, the case has become a cause célèbre among activists distrustful of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dozens of supporters– including the “Granny Warriors” from North Carolina– showed up for the January 19 court date.
Henshaw’s Charlottesville attorney, Norman Lamson, argued that the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries had no jurisidiction to arrest Henshaw because state code does not list hogs as one of the seven “game animals”– deer, bear, bobcat, rabbit, raccoon, fox, and squirrel– that fall under Department dominion.
“Hogs are not game animals,” said Lamson. “They’re private property.” Buckingham County Judge Robert Woodson is considering the motion to quash and will issue a decision February 16.
-The Hook
How does this relate to NAIS some people have asked. The issue is when does the government have the right to invade your property, kill your livestock and when must it follow standard procedures with invasion of property and appeals. There can be no appeal for the boars, the animals are dead, there was no emergency, just over eager government officials with blood on their hands.
Hat tips to Kim, Becky & Dean
Thank you for this update on the poor Henshaws. I hope this goes far in the world of law and makes huge waves.
Comment Lynn from Pa — January 25, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
I left a comment at the”HOOK” concerning this so called trial.Also,I was doing a bit of reading online and it seems( according to www.downsizedc.org that we need to contact the house now concerning the so called”Legislative Tranparentcy and Accountability Act of 2007″ this was the bill we all fought and defeated a week or so ago concerning “grassroots” lobbying regulations,remember? Well they are saying it is coming up in the house now,and that we need to tell the house members to make sure true”grassroots” voices are exempt and to make sure the “astroturf” groups like corprate lobbys are included in this law,anyway check into it and talk to your congresscritters,we dont want to have beat this in the senate only to have the house sneak it through,thanks!
Comment LEE — January 25, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
Me again,check out ecologic powerhouses front page todays news,first article about the fella from Dickinsons cattle co.and the runin he had with the USDA over a missing number on a cow he sold,unbelievable!
Comment LEE — January 25, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
Word in the trenches is that Fish & Wildlife is involved with pushing the NAIS.
Calling researchers to look for Cooperative Agreements.
Comment Celeste — January 25, 2007 @ 2:45 pm
You know almost the same thing happened here in Rexburg Idaho.
Rex Rammel raised elk for a “shooter bull club” his fences were inspected in July of 06 and in the fall something tore through his fence and the elk escaped. The governor ordered them shot and as Mr. Rammel was trying to catch them, the fish and game chased them with a helicopter, scattering them and actually shot several while they were eating the grain at the gate of his trap. Then they allowed hunters to go in to shoot them and a huge bull that had not escaped but was on the right side of the fence was shot. Mr. Rammel has been arrested for confronting them for killing his property and they have harassed him to no end. They have ran tests on all the dead elk (close to 30 so far I think) and not one has tested for any of the FEARED diseases that our government terrified our general public with. It is sickening, they can destroy first and not even apologize later. I hope he sues and then I hope he runs for some kind of elected office~ we need those to lead us who have been through what we all will face in the near future.
[These incidences need to be brought to light so that the government does not get away with this abuse. If you know of this sort of thing going on then write letters to the editor, to your congressional representatives, your state representatives, news reporters, talk about it on blogs and spread the word. Do not be silenced. -WJ]
Comment kidraiser — January 25, 2007 @ 4:39 pm
#4. Celeste-Cooperative Agreements.
I did look into Cooperative Conservation several months back. There is an executive order that was signed on 8-26-04 by Pres. Bush. There was also a conference in August of 2005 in which over 1300 participants attended, mostly from government and NGO’s.
In MN we bills pushing for The Clean Water Legacy Act, which if I read that correctly would create cooperative easements, not sure if these are the same as what you are looking for?
“the first stage of facism should be more appropriately called ‘corporatism’ because it is a merger of State and Corporate power”. Mussolini
Comment LuAnn — January 26, 2007 @ 8:33 am
Hi to all!
I don’t think the comment I tried to post made it so I’ll try again.
For all who are interested, Congressman Dennis Kucinich has been elected Chairman of the Government Oversight Commitee of the U.S. House of Representatives and he wants to hear from all of us.
Dennis Kucinich is one of the rare few who refuses to accept corporate PAC money and was absolutely set AGAINST the war in Iraq, speaking out frequently in opposition to the administrations full bore plan. He is also running for president. We see little of him since the media has made a point of marginalizing his campaign, (They’re ticked off that he has an investigation into media manipulation and the guilty feel threatened.)
Check out his website at www.kucinich.us and tell him how you feel about NAIS. HE DOES LISTEN!
Take care All!
Comment John Two Crows — January 29, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
I’m looking for an update on this. Anything new as of June 2007?
Comment Suzy Minck — June 5, 2007 @ 11:50 am