The farmer fouled up by not video recording the wolves killing livestock. While it would cost him something, when all the animal loving people out there saw the butchery, they would turn against that judge big time.
Often those who behave irrationally with the law will change their tune quickly when confronted with strong emotions by enough people.
The article doesn't mention it but I'm told, at least in Wisconsin, that compensation is difficult to obtain unless you can prove the kill was from a wolf. Absent a photo, unlikely in most cases, how do you distinguish wolf bites from coyotes or feral dogs.
No. He fouled up by not shooting the wolves and having a nice private funeral.