Attorney Thomas Fleener Withdraws From High On Life Case

Thomas Fleener of Fleener Law has filed a motion to withdraw from the case involving four men accused of walking on Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park.

The news comes shortly after Fleener filed a motion to withdraw from a separate case in Colorado involving one of his clients, citing personal conflict and his defendant’s lack of funds.

According to the Jackson Hole News & Guide, Fleener said he and his clients have “developed a conflict,” necessitating his departure from the case:

Fleener, an attorney out of Laramie, has represented Justis Cooper Price-Brown, Alexey Andriyovych Lyakh, Charles Ryker Gamble and Hamish McNab Campbell Cross since federal charges were filed against them in May.

“I can’t get into it in any more detail,” Fleener said. “It’s a legal principle that makes it so I can’t represent them all anymore.”

The men are accused of filming themselves walking in restricted areas of Yellowstone and posting the photos and videos online. Three of the men are behind the Vancouver, British Columbia, entertainment and clothing brand High on Life.

The group also has a YouTube channel on which it encourages fans to subscribe. The participants have apologized for their missteps on social media.

Until a judge recently quashed warrants, the four were subject to arrest if they re-entered the United States.

“They look forward to coming down and taking responsibility for their actions at Yellowstone,” Fleener said.

The four men hired Fleener back in June, a few weeks after the incident. He has maintained throughout the process that none of the men deserve jail time for their actions, although he has maintained that fines are likely. In filing to withdraw from the Colorado case (mentioned above) he admitted jail time was a possibility for said client.

Fleener reiterated his belief that the men would pay fines, adding he “wouldn’t be surprised if one of them changes their plea to guilty and receives fines. to be done with it.”

Currently, all four men are scheduled to appear in court November 1. They will be represented by court-apponted counsel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis Leland Pico will prosecute the case.

About Sean Reichard

Sean Reichard is the editor of Yellowstone Insider and author of Yellowstone Insider For Families 2017.

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