Grizzly shooter garners support

A man charged with unlawfully shooting and killing a grizzly bear had so many supporters at his arraignment Tuesday in federal court that the judge had to move the hearing to a larger courtroom. Even there, every seat was taken as his family, friends and neighbors, young and old, squeezed in. Jeremy M. Hill, 33, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court to killing the animal with a rifle on his 20-acre property near Porthill, Idaho, at the Canadian border. He lives five miles from the closest grizzly bear recovery zone. Hill has declined comment. His lawyer, Marc Lyons of Coeur d'Alene, said he plans to defend Hill on the basis of self-defense and protection of family. Following the hearing, his father, Mike Hill, of Athol, said, "This whole thing is a waste of taxpayer money." He said his son was concerned for the safety of his children playing outside when a mother grizzly and two cubs wandered onto his property on May 8. Jeremy Hill has six kids, ranging in age from 14 years old to 10 months old. At least five were home when the grizzly was killed, Mike Hill said. The bears had gone after some pigs in a pen that the kids had been raising, Mike Hill said. He said his son shot one of the bears, then called authorities to notify them of the kill. The other two bears ran off. He said his son could have just buried the animal and not said anything to law enforcement. He said his son is being penalized for coming forward...more