Press Watch, Honolulu Advertiser, September 26, 2009
LIHU’E, Kaua’i — A 78-year-old Kaua’i man who shot and killed a pregnant Hawaiian monk seal in May pleaded guilty yesterday to violating the U.S. Endangered Species Act and began serving a 90-day term in the federal detention center on O’ahu.
Charles Vidinha “knew it was a Hawaiian monk seal at the time he fired his (Browning .22-caliber) rifle at her” on May 21 at Pila’a Beach, according to the plea agreement entered before Judge Barry M. Kurren yesterday. […]
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marshall Silverberg, who prosecuted the case, said because Vidinha had never had trouble with the law before and is “broke … living out of a car essentially homeless, a fine didn’t seem to be consistent with justice.”
Silvert said his research found other cases of people being sentenced to probation after unintentionally killing endangered species. […]