5 Makah Whalers to Plead Guilty in Wash.
posted 2:38 pm Mon March 24, 2008 - SEATTLE
Stay on top of breaking news! Sign up for ABC 33/40 News e-mail alerts.
Five members of the Makah Tribe who killed a gray whale during a rogue hunt off Washington state's northwest coast have agreed to plead guilty to federal charges.A lawyer for the men says each is scheduled to plead guilty Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to one count of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Defense attorney Jack Fiander says the men still believe they were acting within their tribal rights when they harpooned and shot the whale Sept. 8 in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. But they acknowledge there's enough evidence for the court to convict them.
© 2008 TV Alabama, Inc.
© 2008 The Associated Press
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The 'RUNNING MAN' icon is a registered trademark of America Online, Inc.
ABC 33/40 News to leave comments on news stories.