Attorney Says Russian Didn’t Plan To Sell Bear Parts

A Russian immigrant accused of poaching bears so he could sell their gall bladders sat quietly in federal court Monday, content to let his attorney do the talking for a change.

“Meet Nikolay Senchenko, an American citizen naturalized in 1995,” was how defense attorney Leslie Weatherhead began his opening statement. It was an apparent attempt to negate any bias the all-white jury might have toward foreigners.

“He immigrated as a religious refugee,” Weatherhead said.

The attorney’s polished presentation contrasted sharply from Senchenko’s interpreter-assisted attempt to defend himself during the opening hours of the trial last week.

Although he speaks little English, Senchenko for weeks balked at using an attorney, saying he couldn’t afford to hire his own and wouldn’t trust anyone appointed by the same government that accuses him of snaring black bears in Pend Oreille County.

Senchenko interrupted prosecutor Tim Ohms’ statements several times last Tuesday, and once told U.S. District Court Judge Fred Van Sickle that Ohms was lying to the jury.

After Ohms’ opening remarks, Senchenko decided to use an attorney. Van Sickle recessed the trial nearly a week to give Weatherhead a chance to prepare.

Weatherhead used his opening statement Monday to focus the jury’s attention on the question of whether Senchenko attempted to sell bear parts - the only charge he faces in federal court.

Whether he illegally killed bears should be addressed “another time, by another jury,” Weatherhead said.

The Pend Oreille County prosecutor has charged Senchenko with two counts of hunting during closed season, four counts of exceeding the bag limit, five counts of hunting with an illegal firearm and one count of failing to notch his hunting tag after killing a bear.

Senchenko will stand trial on those state charges later this year.

Wildlife agents found three dried gall bladders in Senchenko’s home. They found bear skulls and claws in his home and vehicle.

The body parts - particularly gall bladders - bring high prices on the black market. But there’s no proof Senchenko planned to sell them, said Weatherhead.

Instead, the attorney said, Senchenko, his wife, their nine children and relatives use the gall bladders to ease aches and pains.

“Bear gall bladders and the fat of bears is a medicinal treatment in Russia,” he said.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: AT ISSUE The federal court jury must decide whether Senchenko planned to sell the bears’ gall bladders, which is a federal crime, or whether he and his family planned to use them for medicinal purposes. The question of whether he illegally killed the bears will likely be addressed later in state court.