State News

College students plead guilty to dumping bear on campus

Maintenance workers found the 75-pound bear cub in front of the school's administration building in October. Obama campaign yard signs were stapled together and placed over the bear's head.

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Two Western Carolina University students have pleaded guilty to charges related to dumping a dead bear with Barack Obama signs on its head on campus.

Marvin Caleb Williams and Mathew Colton Williams were sentenced Tuesday on to two years of unsupervised probation for misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and wildlife violations. They are also banned from the university property.

Marvin Williams was 20 years when he was arrested and his brother was 18.

Maintenance workers found the 75-pound bear cub in front of the school's administration building in October. Obama campaign yard signs were stapled together and placed over the bear's head.

Western Carolina University authorities said at the time that the incident was a student prank, not a political statement.

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