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Attachmate Jeffrey Scott Hawn’s Plea deal offered in bison slaying case

By Amarendra Bhushan for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:October 7, 2008

Well it seems if you are rich you can get away with anything. This guy needs to understand he is fully at fault for his actions. I wonder why would someone destroy someones livelyhood. He needs to spend a little time in the big house. He will then understand the error of his way.

Part of the plea agreement should be that he needs to sell his house and move as well.
For the safety of his victims.The software CEO from Texas accused in the killing of 32 of his neighbor’s bison is considering a plea agreement to settle the case. Jeff Hawn was scheduled to enter a plea Monday before a judge in Fairplay. But before the hearing began, his lawyer, Pamela Mackey, met with Assistant District Attorney Katherine O’Brien.

When the hearing began, Mackey said a plea offer had been made and asked for 30 days to consider it. She and Hawn left the courtroom and declined to comment further. The DA also would not discuss the case. Hawn is president and CEO of Seattle-based Attachmate and lives in Austin, Texas. He is charged with theft and 32 counts of aggravated animal cruelty for allegedly allowing a group of men to hunt bison that had been wandering onto his ranch.

The owner of the slain bison, Monte Downare, said he didn’t know what the offer entails but he would like Hawn to pay restitution to help him replace the bison killed, which he estimated to be worth $77,000. He would also like to see him spend time in jail or be convicted of a felony to send a strong message about the importance of Colorado’s fence out law.

Like most states in the West, Colorado requires that property owners who want to keep livestock off their land are responsible for building and maintaining fence to keep the animals out. Livestock owners don’t have to keep their animals fenced in although many choose to do so to protect their animals in a state that has become more crowded.

“That’s where the message needs to be sent. It’s the law. It’s no different from robbing the bank,” Downare said after Hawn’s brief court appearance. Jeff Hawn appeared in Park County Combined Court on Monday for a scheduled arraignment, where he would have been formally charged and would have entered a guilty or not guilty plea.

Hawn’s attorney, Pamela Mackey, asked for the hearing to be postponed in light of a “settlement offer.” The motion for a continuance, supported by both Mackey and Deputy District Attorney Katie O’Brien, was approved by Judge Stephen Groome.

Mackey and O’Brien both left the courtroom before the hearing began. Mackey announced the news of a settlement offer once court was in session. Authorities have estimated the value of the slain animals at $77,000. Hawn is CEO of Attachmate Corp., a $400 million global software company based in Seattle. On March 10, Hawn filed a lawsuit against his neighbor Monte Downare, accusing him of allowing the bison to trample his property and destroy his fences in about 50 different places.

Jeffrey Scott Hawn Bio (Profile)

Jeff Hawn serves as Attachmate’s chairman, president and CEO, determining overall corporate direction and setting the company’s business and acquisition strategies.

Mr. Hawn’s experience includes multiple strategic and senior-level positions related to the mainframe software market. Prior to joining Attachmate, he was an operating partner with JMI Inc., where he led the firm’s private equity acquisition and operating activities. Previously, Mr. Hawn was a senior vice president at BMC Software, where he held several key management positions. Additionally, he has served as a partner at the global consulting firm, McKinsey & Company.

Mr. Hawn serves as an active member on several boards, including Applimation, Pervasive Software and Vignette. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Southern Methodist University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas.

About Attachmate

Attachmate enables IT organizations to extend mission critical services and assure they are managed, secure, and compliant. Our goal is to empower IT organizations to deliver trusted applications, manage services levels, and ensure compliance by leveraging knowledge, automation, and secured connectivity. To fulfill that goal, we offer solutions for host connectivity and systems and security management.

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