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A Jeannette police officer paid a fine and restitution totalling $4,000 for shooting and wounding a bald eagle last spring in Bell Township.

Officer Shannon S. Binda, 36, of Jeannette, received undisclosed disciplinary action, according to Jeannette Police Chief Carl Shifko, who declined to specify the penalty against Binda.

"Basically it was handled internally, because it's a private matter," Shifko said."He was handled."

The shooting on private property adjoining Beaver Run Reservoir in Bell affected the first nesting pair of bald eagles in the county in more than 100 years. The adult male was shot with a shotgun in late April during the spring wild turkey hunting season.

This was a senseless act," said Wildlife Conservation Officers Gary Toward said shortly after the incident."Only recently have sightings of these birds become a little more common, and having an active nest in this area is, to my knowledge, the first in Westmoreland County in a long time. To have someone shoot one is an absolute shame."

The U.S. Attorney's office in Pittsburgh charged Binda with a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. He paid a $1,000 fine. The maximum penalty Binda faced was one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. He also paid $3,000 in restitution to the state Game Commission for the care and rehabilitation of the eagle, a three-year loss of his hunting privileges and forfeited the .12-gauge shotgun used in the shooting.

Mel Schake, game commission information officer from Ligonier, said authorities treated Binda fairly.

"There were no deals cut here -- we treated the perpetrator the same as if he were anyone else. It didn't matter to us if he was a police officer or a bricklayer, Schake said. "We came to the best resolution under the circumstances, especially with him conceding guilt, and agreed on the fine and restitution costs -- as well as his losing the expensive shotgun that was turned over to the USFWS,"

Toward said Binda shot the bird without realizing it was an eagle, so the penalties are reasonable.

"This was a case of an individual mistakenly identifying a mature bald eagle as a roosting turkey," Toward said. "Of course, that doesn't excuse the hunter's actions, but we should all feel better knowing it was not an intentional act. The physical evidence at the scene supports the hunter's claim of mistaken identification.

"Mr. Binda panicked when he realized what he had done," said Toward. "While he did not come forward to report his mistake, he was very cooperative when we confronted him with our evidence. He expressed remorse and said he just wanted to put the whole thing behind him. We spoke at length with the US Attorney's office ... to decide what was the best course of action,"

The incident came to light when another person found the injured eagle in the woods and called the Game Commission.

The concerned citizen also reported seeing the eagle's mate flying overhead.

The caller later accompanied game officers as they recovered the bird. Toward immediately began a criminal investigation.

"This investigation began and ended with information provided to us by the public," Game Commission Southwest Region Law Enforcement Supervisor John Smith said. "Without that help, this case might never have been solved."

"There was a reward being offered for at least $500, and we probably could have increased that amount pretty easily," said Schake. "But nobody seems to be applying for the reward -- I guess they just feel good in doing the right thing by providing information on this situation."

The injured eagle was taken to Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Crawford County. This wildlife rehabilitation center has extensive experience working with eagles. It was there, after a physical examination, including X-rays of the bird, that investigators confirmed it had been shot.

While the adult male bald eagle has recovered from most of its injuries, it can not be released back into the wild because it now is blind in its right eye.

"The eagle is still at the wildlife rehabilitation facility, and we're not sure where it will end up from there," Schake said.

"While we'd like to see it released, all of the experts we've spoken with about eagles -- and this one in particular being blind in one eye, strongly recommend against its release, since survival is not probable."

"The nest held two fledglings -- which have grown enough to leave the nest and be on their own. The female eagle is no longer at the nest site -- which is not unusual with the young being old enough to be on their own."

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