Trial opens in illegal bighorn purchase

Updated: Saturday, March 20, 2010 8:58 AM

BOULDER, Mont. (AP) -- Trial has begun in Boulder for a Whitehall taxidermist charged with paying $5,000 to buy a trophy bighorn ram that he knew had been shot illegally.

John Lewton is charged with felony purchase of an illegally killed animal.

The case is controversial because the ram was shot by an undercover Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden as Lewton was being investigated for illegal outfitting.

Prosecutors said Wednesday that Lewton knew the ram was shot illegally because two other men used two-way radios and crossed private land to help lead the warden to the trophy animal in September 2008 southeast of Big Sandy.

Attorney Jack Morris says his client is a businessman who makes hunting videos. Morris says the state is trying to divert attention from the fact that warden John Gibson shot the ram. The warden says he intentionally missed several shots at the ram before finally killing it.

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Information from: The Montana Standard, http://www.mtstandard.com