As was largely expected, Wyoming’s “corner-crossing” case continues to drag on with ranch owner Fredric Eshleman appealing a judge’s ruling against him. But he’s also filed another lawsuit in connection with the Wyoming land-use dispute.
Eshleman also is suing Google to reveal the identity of an anonymous Gmail user he claims wrote nasty, defamatory things about him in relation to the corner-crossing case.
An Expected Appeal
In a widely anticipated move, Eshleman and his company Iron Bar Holdings LLC this week filed in the 10th U.S. District Court of Appeals to appeal a judge’s ruling against him in a civil lawsuit stemming from the original corner-crossing dispute.
The matter goes back to September 2021. Eshleman claimed that Missouri hunters Bradly Cape, Zachary Smith, Phillip Yoemens and John Slowensky at that time trespassed on his Elk Mountain Ranch property in Carbon County. They used a ladder-like device to cross a fence at a point where his ranch property intersects with public land in a “checkerboard” pattern.
A Carbon County jury found the hunters not guilty in the criminal trespass case. But Eshelman and Iron Bar filed a civil suit against the hunters, claiming they had devalued the ranch property by several million dollars when they crossed through the airspace at the corner.
The civil case was scheduled for a trial in Casper this month. But last month, U.S. District Court Judge Scott Skavdahl issued a summary judgement in favor of the hunters.
Eshelman and Iron Bar’s motion filed this week calls for the 10th District Court to overturn that judgement.
Eshelman, of North Carolina, is a pharmacist and founder of Pharmaceutical Product Development.
Called Him A ‘Piece Of Shit’
Meanwhile, Eshelman is suing to force Google to reveal the identity of an anonymous user he claims sent out a nasty and defamatory email related to the corner-crossing case.
That lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, San Jose Division.
On Dec. 4, 2022, an email was sent to Eshelman and some pharmaceutical and investment companies from a Gmail account terrynewsomee@gmail.com. The email stated the opinion that Eshelman was a “piece of shit” and claimed that he had abused public and law enforcement resources in the corner-crossing case, according to court documents.
Eshelman wants to file defamation lawsuits in Germany and India against whoever sent the email, but must first know that person’s identity, court documents state.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
