Five Hutterite men plead not guilty in grizzly bear case

Five men from the Pondera Hutterite Colony pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of illegal possession of a threatened species in connection to burying two grizzly bears that reportedly died from exhaustion on the colony after being chased. Sam Kleinsasser, Daryl Kleinsasser, Jonathan Waldner, Ike Waldner and Tom Waldner entered their pleas Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong in U.S. District Court in Great Falls. Strong set their trial for Oct. 3 and a deadline of Sept. 6 for the filing of motions. “For all clients, not guilty your honor,” Mac Smith, the attorney for the men, told Strong. Court records state the grizzly bears, which reportedly died from exhaustion, had been in a corn field and that colony members were trying to chase them off in September 2012. The men are not charged with killing the bears but rather with possessing a threatened species. Leonard Kleinsasser, who cut the corn for the colony, told authorities that the deaths were not reported because the members of the colony were scared, documents said. Special agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allegedly found the bears on colony property Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 last year, according to court records...more

 Leonard Kleinsasser, who cut the corn for the colony, told authorities that the deaths were not reported because the members of the colony were scared, documents said.

Are the members of this colony the only ones afraid of the government?  Nope, now Americans fear their government more than terrorism.  What a shame.