Harold Dean Dupree Arraigned and Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls on June 11, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, HAROLD DEAN DUPREE, a 54-year-old resident of Wolf Point, was arraigned and pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Sentencing is set for September 18, 2009. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
At about 11:00 p.m. on June 21, 2008, the victim, E.W., another male individual, R.F., and two females pulled into the yard of H.F.'s mother's house where he and his girlfriend also lived. H.F.'s mother is DUPREE'S sister. The four stayed in the yard for a while, talking and drinking beer.
That same evening, DUPREE was visiting his son at a residence across the alley from the R.F. home. DUPREE had no fixed residence and was at the time staying with his sister. DUPREE had also been drinking. He and his wife were in their car close to where H.F.'s car was parked.
DUPREE yelled something at the four, and E.W. responded. DUPREE told E.W. that if he didn't get away from his window that he would "cut off his head." DUPREE got out of his car and he and E.W. began arguing. R.F. told DUPREE to leave because his mother was home and DUPREE was not to be around the R.F. home when he was drunk. R.F. got between the two men and told them to knock it off. E.W. took off his shirt and hat and told DUPREE, "If you want to fight, let's go." He then pushed past R.F., and E.W. and DUPREE began to push and shove each other. DUPREE went to the ground. E.W., however, had been stabbed in the left side of his chest and blood was flowing freely from the wound. E.W. staggered to H.F.'s car and collapsed.
IRON BEAR faces possible penalties of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl E. Rostad prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigation Division.
A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
