United States v. One Bell Jet Ranger Ii Helicopter

943 F.2d 1121 UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. ONE BELL JET RANGER II HELICOPTER, Identification No. N8190j (Registered to Sam Jaksick, 1013 Lakeshore Drive, Indian Village, Nevada), Defendant, and Great Western Helicopters, Inc., Claimant-Appellee. No. 89-35551. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted Nov. 8, 1990. Decided Sept. 3, 1991. John A. Bryson, Dept. of Justice, Washington, D.C., for plaintiff-appellant. Brian T. Butler; Michael J. Hemovich, Hemovich, Nappi, Oreskovich & Butler, Spokane, Wash., for defendant-appellee. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Before FLETCHER, FARRIS and BOOCHEVER, Circuit Judges. FLETCHER, Circuit Judge: 1 The United States appeals the denial of forfeiture of a helicopter allegedly used to harass big horn sheep in violation of the Airborne Hunting Act ("AHA"), 16 U.S.C. 742j-1. The government argues that the district court erred by (1) requiring a showing of specific intent to harass wildlife in a civil forfeiture proceeding, (2) refusing to use the definition of harass promulgated by the agency authorized to implement the statute, (3) finding…