Rancher Wins Release From Jail (NM, Kit Laney)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | March 31, 2004 | Rene Romo

[freekitty]

I agree with you, editor.

[microgood]

Even if is Federal land, we all benefit by using cattle to graze it because it is good for the land and it lowers the price of beef vice having to grow feed for the cattle.

If the loggers had to pay huge sums to log the national forests, the price of lumber would be much higher and thus home prices, paper, etc.

If I were Bush I would defund these idiots.

[Delphinium]

If you are talking about people farming and ranching on taxpayer owned property"

This kind of uninformed talk gets me very upset, but its not his fault, most people don't understand.

Thanks for educating him editor.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[blackie]

Right on editor ~ set the misinformed straight!

Be Ever Vigilant!

[Ranchwife]

There are just a few things that have happened over on the Diamond Bar since I last reported.
The Forest Circus and their contractors removed 14 head of horses from private property, and notified us that we could "redeem" them for a mere $650 each. Three of the horses were old worn out horses belonging to Sherry Farr Laney's mother and sisters. One belongs to Catron County Sheriff Cliff Snyder. Those four horses were released to them a few days after they were taken from the Black Canyon property. Four other horses were 2 year old colts, which had been castrated a few days before, and they were being kept close so any signs of infection or difficulty could be dealt with in a timely manner. While they were in the knee-deep bog in the corrals at MeOwn, one colt became very infected, and was terribly swollen and in pretty bad shape. Sherry was never notified of this until days later. A few days after that, Sherry received a call from Annette Chavez, Wilderness District Ranger, and said if Sherry would sign a paper absolving the FS of any wrong-doing, she could have the horses back without having to pay for them. On the advice of Paul Kienzel, the attorney for the Paragon Foundation, she refused, and a short time later, she, my husband Dale and our son, Albert, were able to drive them back home. The next day, they drove them on down to Mimbres, where Sherry has some leased property to keep them off the Diamond Bar. At last report, the colt has recovered from the abusive handling he got at MeOwn.
A few days after that happened, Ranger Chavez again called Sherry, and said the horses could be in either trap on the place and be safe from impoundment for 60 days. That was on a Friday afternoon. Monday, the FS attorney called Kienzel, and said the horses couldn't be in the upper trap at all, due to the Gila Trout which were stocked there in the late 1990s. The horses would not be safe from impoundment there after June 12.
Kit has been released from jail (YIPPEE!!!!!!) and was granted a continuance on his trial until June 15. It wasn't the 120 days both sides attorneys had agreed on, but it is some. The FS lawyers didn't say 3 words the whole time, letting the Judge do all their work for them. He actually pointed his finger at Kit and said that "he had never followed a court order in his life" which is absolutely untrue. In 1997, they followed the court order, removed all the cattle and paid some really hefty fines, hoping to improve relations with the FS. As we all know, it didn't work.....
At this time, there are still several head of cattle on the ranch, I myself saw 10 head just a few days ago. The plan is that we will gather those cattle, and get them off the ranch. Of course, that was the decision on Friday, and it's liable to be changed again come Monday...as the case seems to be when dealing with the FS.
On May 22, Michael Martin Murphy has graciously volunteered to do a concert in T or C, NM, with the proceeds going to the Laney Legal Fund through the Paragon Foundation. There have been several fundraisers lately, in different places around SW NM, with more slated to take place in the near future. Just a couple of weekends ago, some of the good folks from the Glenwood, NM area got together and put on a BBQ and silent auction. One of the items up for auction was (and I hope you are as incredulous as we were about this) a cord of juniper wood, split and delivered, and donated by the Gila National Forest....they also donated the ice for the BBQ. I think they're beginning to find out that folks have had just about enough of their bullying, and aren't gonna stand for much more.
I'd like to extend the thanks of our family, to those of you who have been so supportive in this struggle, and tried to keep everyone advised of what's happening out there. God Bless You All!