VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- A group that opposes trophy hunting hopes the case of an NHL player charged with killing a grizzly becomes a rallying cry to protect bears.
About a dozen members of Bears Matter gathered outside provincial court in Vancouver on Friday in connection with a court date for Anaheim Ducks defenseman Clayton Stoner.
Stoner is charged with five counts under the provincial Wildlife Act after a bear was shot on British Columbia's central coast in 2013. He is accused with knowingly making a false statement to obtain a hunting license.
Group member Barb Murray hopes the case raises awareness about such hunting practices. Murray also wants Stoner to apologize, pay a large fine and contribute to conservation in the province.
Stoner's case is set for Nov. 13. A lawyer appearing in court on his behalf says he does not know how the player will plead.