Charges dropped against man who shot and killed bear, left carcass in ditch

TAHOMA, Calif., - The wife of the man who shot and killed the black bear cub on May 21 said while he may have discarded its carcass improperly, her husband did the right thing and hopes the community will stop harassing her family.

Sydney Wilkinson, the wife of John Wilkinson, said, in an e-mail, media reports of the news have destroyed her family's reputation.

She also disputed California Department of Fish and Game's initial reports that the killed bear was a yearling of about 75 pounds. In her e-mail, she described the bear as 250 pounds and "larger than my husband."

"The bear was not a cub. Otherwise, I could imagine he would be facing such severe charges," wrote Sydney Wilkinson.

As for the carcass, Sydney said her family didn't know how to dispose of the animal. She said she feels the family - John and Sydney have a young daughter - is being unfairly judged by the community.

"We acted in a time of survival," she wrote. "We made a mistake in how we handled it after the fact, but that shouldn't be reason enough to ruin every dream we had for ourselves."

El Dorado County prosecutors will not seek charges against John Wilkinson, a sheriff's office official said Tuesday.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Bruce Rosa said after a review of facts and evidence surrounding the case, it has been determined that Wilkinson, a former U.S. Coast Guard employee, acted in self defense in the shooting, as the cub had entered Wilkinson's home and threatened to return.

Furthermore, the three California Department of Fish and Game misdemeanor charges originally levied against Wilkinson will be dropped, CFG Lt. Richard Vincent said Tuesday, because El Dorado has determined Wilkinson was not at fault.

Rosa said the bear cub died outside of Wilkinson's home, and the sheriff's office will accept Wilkinson's actions as a form of self defense because no other witnesses were present to say otherwise. He said he has "scoured" the penal code, and considering the shooting is being determine an act of self-defense, there is nothing with which Wilkinson can be charged.

"We're unable to refute his story, and it's probably going to stand," Rosa said.

Rosa said the sheriff's office has admonished Wilkinson for not reporting the shooting in a residential neighborhood.

Ann Bryant, president of the West Tahoe-based BEAR League, said she has heard numerous threats by locals in the area who are outraged, and she fears for the family's safety.

"As soon as (no charges will be filed) gets in the paper, I'm not responsible for what people are going to do," Bryant said.

Rosa said he has also heard threats made against Wilkinson, and he warned area residents that such actions are illegal.

"I certainly hope that people leave this family alone, and we will assist (the family) to the letter of the law," said Rosa.