GREAT FALLS — A Montana man faces trial next month on charges he illegally killed three grizzly bears near his residence last summer.
U.S. District Judge John Johnston set trial for Feb. 17 after a plea deal between Everett Skunkcap and federal prosecutors fell through this week.
Skunkcap last month agreed to plead guilty to killing one of the bears. But during a Monday hearing he said he killed all three in defense of his grandchildren who were 100 feet away at the time of the shooting near Browning.
Skunkcap’s attorney asked for several extra weeks to prepare for trial so the 75-year-old defendant “can refresh his memory about what he told law enforcement.”
Each count of killing a threatened species carries a maximum sentence of six months prison and a $25,000 fine.