Jury Awards $600,000 to Arizona Rancher

NEWS RELEASE

January 21, 2005 Contact: Kraig Marton (602) 570-3510

For Immediate Release PRfect Media (480) 706-6880

Environmental Group Found Libel for False Statements and Accusations

(Tucson) A Tucson jury today found the Center for Biological

Diversity, a well-known environmental group, guilty of making “false,

unfair, libelous and defamatory statements” against Jim Chilton, a

fifth generation Southern Arizona Rancher.

In a judgment announced during the noon hour, the jury awarded Chilton

$100,000 in actual damages, and $500,000 in punitive damages for

defaming him and his family business in a two-page press release and 21

photographs posted on the Center’s website in July 2002 that were false

and misleading regarding Chilton’s 21,500 acre Montana grazing

Allotment northwest of Nogales.

“This case is more about the truth than about money. After all

expenses have been covered, I am going to donate all the remaining

money to the Arizona Cattle Growers Association to be used for the

truth and responsibility for cattle grazing issues”, said Chilton.

The suit was filed, according to Chilton, because he wanted to

challenge the way the Center for Biological Diversity does business.

“They don’t use science, they use scare tactics,” said Chilton. “They

also use endangered species as surrogates to obtain their own goals and

to raise money,” he added. According to last year’s annual statement,

the Center for Biological Diversity has an annual budget of $2.9

million, and assets of $2.4 million. The jury agreed with Chilton’s

claim, citing the Center did make false statements in a news advisory,

and that misleading photographs were used in an unsuccessful effort to

block renewal of Chilton’s grazing permit. The jury also cited that

the Center did not accurately describe the condition of the grazing

allotment.

The judge in the case asked the jury specific questions related to the

claim, in which the jury responded in favor of Chilton.

“It’s not very common for a rancher to sue an environmental group.

But in this case, they attacked my client personally and misstated the

facts,” said Kraig Marton, Chilton’s attorney. “We are very pleased

with the jury’s decision and judgment,” said Marton.

The lawsuit named not only the Center for Biological Diversity, but

also three of its current and former employees: Martin Taylor, author

of the release; Shane Jimerfield, the Web site designer who posted it;

and A.J. Schneller, who was responsible for some photos and captions,

and Kieran Suckling, the Executive Director of the Center who, Marton

says, set the tone for making the false statements.

For more information regarding this lawsuit, contact Kraig Marton at

(602) 570-3510 or PRfect Media at (480) 706-6880.