A turtlekeeper was awarded damages in his suit against federal wildlife authorities.
 In 2005, federal agents seized map turtles from the plaintiff's property. |
Last week, a jury awarded a turtlekeeper $88,500 in damages in a United States District Court in Georgia. According to various news sources, the jury found that two federal wildlife agents violated the turtlekeeper's civil rights in July 2005, when they entered his property and confiscated 15 rare map turtles while he was away.
Based on evidence collected by the wildlife agents, the turtlekeeper was charged with illegal possession of wildlife. Charges against the turtlekeeper were later dropped.
News sources report that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources confiscated 500 of the plaintiff's turtles, 300 of which died in state custody.
