 |
|
Hunting
Accident File > Violations
WY: Harshbarger’s dad speaks out about verdict
October 2, 2010
The father of the man killed when he was mistaken for a bear said he was
dissappointed in the ‘not guilty’ verdict rendered Friday (Oct. 1) for his
daughter-in-law, Mary Beth Harshbarger.
The 44-year-old Meshoppen woman had been on trial Sept. 13-24 for the
Canadian crime of criminal negligence causing death, specifically that in
2006 of her husband Mark.
His father, Leonard Harshbarger, 77, of Sweet Valley, said Friday the
verdict “didn’t make sense to me.”
The older Harshbarger had received the news via a fax at his home where he
had returned Monday after two weeks of being in Newfoundland.
He said during testimory, Mrs. Harshabarger had positively admitted the
circumstances of the case and that she realized she shouldn’t have been
firing a weapon after dark so when he rendered the verdict he did, “It was
very upsetting.”
“The judge not being a hunter suggested he did not understand some things
about hunting, so I’m sorry he ruled as he did,” Harshbarger, a
30-year-veteran of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, said. “Frankly, it
isn’t okay for hunters to break the law.”
He said he was grateful and not a little surprised that most of the
townspeople in Grand Falls-Windsor where the trial was taking place seemed
obsessed with the idea that Mrs. Harshbarger would be found guilty of
criminal negligence.
“They must all be shaking their heads now,” he said. “We all seemed so sure
that justice would be served in my son’s death.”
Mr. Harshbarger said the Crown would have 30 days to appeal the verdict.
He spoke with prosecuting attorney Karen O’Reilly Friday after the verdict,
and was told the Crown would review the opinion and make a decision as to
whether to appeal or not.
He said being back in Canada where his son died almost four years to the
day, brought back some difficult memories for him.
He did go back to look first hand at the site at Buchan’s Landing,
Newfoundland, where his son was killed.
“It was very emotional and really tough,” he said, noting that just the
circumstances of being in the spot at the time of day and place where his
son died convinved him even more that his daughter-in-law was negligent.
“It just seems so unreasonable that the judge could render the verdict he
did,” Harshbarger said. “It’s very disappointing.”.
Return to Hunting Accident Index
Fair Use Notice: This document may contain copyrighted material
whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owners. We believe
that this not-for-profit, educational use on the Web constitutes
a fair use of the copyrighted material (as provided for in section
107 of the US Copyright Law). If you wish to use this copyrighted
material for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must
obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|
|
