Montana Supreme Court news for Dec. 3, 2014
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Convicted killer intends to appeal life sentence
HELENA – A Lake County man convicted of killing his cousin at a Hot Springs resort in 2013 intends to appeal his sentence.
Last week the Montana Supreme Court gave attorneys for 30-year-old Melvin Madplume, Jr. an extension of time until Dec. 29 to file an opening brief in the appeal. Attorneys originally gave notice of the appeal in September. The opening brief will explain what grounds Madplume’s appeal is based on.
Madplume was convicted on April 8 and sentenced to life in prison for the death of his cousin, Laurence Kenmille.
District Judge John Larson called Madplume’s actions “horrendous and calculated” at a sentencing in April.
Prosecutors laid out a chilling set of evidence against Madplume at trial, showing that Madplume, Kenmille and a youth had stopped at Wild Horse Hot Springs on May 25, 2013, to soak in a tub, where Kenmille died. Authorities had no leads in the case until October 2013, when another victim came forward in the case saying that Madplume had lured them to the same venue not long before Kenmille’s death and became violent when the man rebuffed Madplume’s unwanted sexual advances.
The behavior matched the set of forensic evidence surrounding Kenmille’s death. Medical experts testified that Kenmille died of homicidal violence and also said there was evidence of sexual assault.
Madplume did not testify at trial to defend himself. He is currently housed at the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. He is being represented by the public defender’s office.
Man convicted of abusing toddler intends to appeal
HELENA – A former Lake County man convicted by a Great Falls jury in February of abusing a toddler intends to appeal his sentence to the Supreme Court.
The Montana Supreme Court has given attorneys for Riley Charlo-Whitworth until Dec. 29 to file an opening brief in his appeal.
Charlo-Whitworth, a 2011 St. Ignatius High School graduate, was sentenced to 35 years in the Montana State Prison with none suspended after a jury found him guilty of child abuse. Charlo-Whitworth was accused of beating a child so badly in January 2013 that the 23-month-old had to be airlifted to Seattle from Great Falls. The child had injuries that were considered life threatening. Charlo was also ordered to register as a violent offender for the offense.
Charlo-Whitworth is serving his time in the Great Falls Regional Prison and is being represented by the Public Defender’s Office. The opening brief will explain on what grounds Charlo-Whitworth appeals.
