Man Who Hit Wolf With Snowmobile Claims Innocence

Cody Roberts, who accidentally hit a wolf with a snowmobile last year and later displayed it in a Wyoming bar, has entered a not guilty ple...

Cody Roberts, who accidentally hit a wolf with a snowmobile last year and later displayed it in a Wyoming bar, has entered a not guilty plea against an animal cruelty charge.

Like many others, I was shocked when I learned that a man from Wyoming had used aSnowmobile used to pursue a wolflast year, only to leave the animal alive, and then parade the creature through a local bar for guests to photograph as if it were a Times Square attraction. I was equally shocked that Cody Roberts, the individual who hit the animal, later became bored and had it put down behind the bar, only for him to then see aA $250 penalty for his behavior. 

As I have mentioned in our previous coverage, this is not hunting. It is not a morally acceptable method of taking animals. It contradicts hunter ethics in every possible way. Therefore, please do not mix the two. However, the world was also upset, leading to significant concern within the Cowboy State, as people from all over learned that the practice of "wolf whacking" was essentially legal, and was being used by ranchers and others to kill wolves and other predators.

But it created enough of a hassle for local police,as well as politicians, to raise the penalties, review the law's wording, and, in recent months,charged Roberts with a felony animal cruelty offensewhich could result in a prison sentence of up to two years. In the latest development of the case, Roberts pleaded not guilty. He is now scheduled for a trial in March, where things could become even more complicated.

According to Wyofile, which has been doing remarkable work reporting on this and public lands issues, after facing some technical problems with his camera feed—Roberts was not required to appear in court to enter his plea—and the judge reading the updated indictment, stating that Roberts "knowingly and with intent to cause excessive suffering" and "tortured or harassed" a "male gray wolf," the individual replied that he pleaded "Not guilty."

Currently, given the volume of evidence that was disclosed publicly by the accused via social media, one might expect this to be a straightforward case. However, due to Wyoming's predator laws, along with its nearly unrestricted regulations regarding the method of capture involving vehicles, which includes the snowmobile that Roberts utilized in this instance, there could be significant ambiguity that Roberts' legal team may challenge.

Similarly, the state's Department of Game and Fish might have increased the initial $250 penalty because of Roberts' actions, but even as public anger escalated, it maintained that the law did not cover a wolf due to its classification as a predator. The case eventually moved through local authorities and ultimately reached a grand jury, which decided to charge Roberts with felony animal cruelty.

With Roberts having entered his plea, the trial is scheduled for March 9th at 9 a.m. As I mentioned earlier, because of various factors and the overall local public support for Roberts, it remains uncertain if he will encounter any additional consequences for his actions.

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