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Lake County District Court news for April 22, 2010

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Judge C. B. McNeil dealt with the following cases on April 14:

Christopher Cheever Huntsman, 28, Polson, pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault.

He was found guilty and a previously suspended sentence was revoked. Sentencing for both matters is scheduled for Wednesday, May 19 at 9 a.m.

The aggravated assault charge stems from a Feb. 9 incident when Polson Police was called to St. Joseph’s Hospital to investigate suspected child abuse. When the responding officer arrived at the hospital, he observed bruising on the right side of a baby’s face and interviewed Huntsman, as well as the baby’s mother. 

The medical staff at the hospital reported that the baby suffered severe head trauma and was bleeding from the brain. 

Huntsman was then questioned again and he admitted that he was so frustrated with the baby’s crying that he picked her up and shook her for an estimated 30 seconds. 

In 2003, Huntsman was found guilty of felony theft, misdemeanors trespassing to vehicles and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to three years deferred for theft and six months in jail suspended for each misdemeanor. All sentences were to run concurrently. This is the sentence that was revoked last week. 

Joshua Christopher Fisher, 22, Ronan, received a deferred imposition of sentence for five years. Fisher was also ordered to serve 30 days in jail within the next six months. He was found guilty of felony tampering with witnesses March 10. 

According to court records, the charge stems from a Nov. 21, 2009 incident when a Flathead Tribal Police Officer was dispatched to St. Luke’s hospital to speak with a woman who claimed that her former boyfriend, Fisher, had gotten mad when they were speaking at his home. He broke her phone when she tried to call for help and when she began to yell for help, told her that nobody was going to hear her.

Nathan Ross, 21, Dixon, pleaded not guilty to charges of felony deliberate homicide and felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Ross remains in custody and bail was set for $50,000. 

An omnibus hearing is set for Wednesday, May 12 at 9 a.m. A transfer hearing is set for Wednesday, April 28 at 9 a.m.

The charges stem from Ross’s connection to a 2005 incident in which an elderly man was found dead when firefighters responded to a fire at his residence in St. Ignatius. The autopsy reported that the man died from a knife wound to the neck before the fire. 

Jesse James Finley, 21, Ronan, pleaded not guilty to felonies aggravated assault, criminal endangerment, assault on a minor and partner or family member assault. 

He remains in custody and an omnibus hearing is set for Wednesday, May 5 at 9 a.m.

The charges stem from a March 26 incident where Polson Police responded to distressed calls coming from a woman’s phone. When the officer arrived at the woman’s residence, he heard her screaming for help from an upstairs window and he observed Finley running from the residence. 

When interviewed, the woman claimed Finley attacked her while she held a 20-month-old child, fearing Finley would hurt the child. 

Finley was later apprehended and admitted to arguing with the woman until the child in the house woke up. He also admitted to running from the police.

He stated that the woman probably falsely alleged he had choked her and the officer noted that Finley had not been told that the woman, in fact, alleged she had been strangled. 

 

Judge Deborah Kim Christopher dealt with the following cases on April 15:

Crystal Yvonne Butler, 36, Dixon, had her suspended sentence revoked for failing to comply with the terms of her probation. 

She was sentenced to DOC for three years. The court recommended for her to be considered for conditional early release if her conduct warrants it. 

Butler was sentenced July 19, 2008 to DOC for five years with three suspended for felony forgery. The court also recommended at that time that Butler enter and complete the Elkhorn Methamphetamine Treatment Center in Boulder, Mont. 

Zachary Bice, 24, Polson, had his suspended sentence revoked for felony criminal endangerment. He was committed to DOC for eight years with three suspended. The court also recommended that he be considered for Connection Corrections and pre-release. 

Chandra Nanette Rondeau, 32, Polson had her deferred sentence revoked for felony forgery. She was committed to DOC for five years and the court recommended her to be screened for placement at the Elkhorn Treatment Center. 

Debbie Marry-Hawkins, 22, Ronan, was found guilty of misdemeanor false reports to law enforcement authorities. She was sentenced to jail for six months with all but 14 days suspended, receiving three days credit for time served. 

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