County to utilize special prosecutor in two poaching cases

MINERAL COUNTY - Mineral County Commissioners unanimously approved using Sanders County Attorney Robert Zimmerman and Deputy Sander County Attorney Amy Kenison in two fish and game cases.

According to County Attorney Marcia Boris the cases, State v. Field and State v. Leischmann, created a conflict of interest for her office, which is why outside prosecutors were requested.

" It happens," Boris said. "I have had to request it three or four times since I have been here."

According to resolutions signed by county commissioners, the Montana Code Annotated "authorizes the employment of another county attorney or attorney member of his staff to perform criminal or civil legal services for Mineral County."

Mineral County will not be charged to utilize the services of the Sanders County Attorney.

Kolby Leishman and Michael Field are accused of hunting and killing several white tail deer and then abandoning the carcasses in the Fish Creek drainage west of Alberton.

Leishman and Field have been charged with five counts of accountability for hunting a game animal during closed season, five counts of accountablilty for wasting and abandoning game animal in the field and five counts of accountablility for unlawful use of equipment while hunting.

The last charge is due to the fact that it is suspected that Leishman and Field used a spotlight to shoot and kill white tail deer.