The United States Attorney's Office announced that on October 27, 2011, in Great Falls, after a federal district court trial before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, THOMAS MONTEY MONROE, a 52-year-old resident of Browning and an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe, was found guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Sentencing is set for March 5, 2012. He is currently detained.

At trial, the following evidence and testimony was presented to the jury.

During the afternoon of March 18, 2011, the victim, identified here as "Jane Doe," was picked up at a bar in Browning by MONROE and another female, "Susie Doe". MONROE had been in a long term relationship with "Jane Doe" for approximately six to eight years. "Jane Doe", MONROE, and "Susie Doe" all went back to "Susie Doe's" house, which is located within the exterior boundaries of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, where they drank whiskey.

At some point, MONROE and "Susie Doe" went to pick up a male individual "John Smith", while "Jane Doe" slept on the couch. Everyone returned to "Susie Doe"'s house, including "Susie Doe's" boyfriend, "George White". After everyone had returned to "Susie Doe's" house, "Jane Doe" and MONROE got into an argument. "Jane Doe" got up to leave the trailer and MONROE followed her outside. "Jane Doe" felt MONROE push her down the stairs and kick her in the face two times while she was on the ground. After being assaulted, "Jane Doe" went back inside the trailer and went to sleep. The next morning she went to the emergency room where she was examined. She told the doctor that she had fallen off the porch and had not been assaulted. The doctor indicated "Jane Doe" had suffered serious bodily injury due to the extensive facial fractures she incurred the previous night. "Jane Doe" eventually had facial reconstruction surgery a week later in Great Falls.

Jane Doe" did not report the incident to police until two days later on March 21, 2011. At that time, an officer observed that "Jane Doe" had a large bruise on her left eye and cheek. "Jane Doe" told police that she had been assaulted by MONROE after they got into an argument at "Susie Doe's" house. She went to leave the house and MONROE followed her outside and pushed her down the stairs. MONROE then kicked her twice in the face while she was on the ground. "Jane Doe" got up and went back into the house where she fell asleep. The next morning she had blood on her sleeves and her eye throbbed. MONROE told her she had fallen down the stairs.

MONROE was also interviewed and agreed to speak with law enforcement. He said on the day "Jane Doe" was injured that himself and "Susie Doe" had picked "Jane Doe" up at a bar. Once everyone got to "Susie Doe's" house, MONROE went back out to pick up "John Smith". When MONROE got back to the house he saw that "George White", "Jane Doe" and "Susie Doe" were all passed out. MONROE saw blood on the victim's sleeves the next morning and she told him she had hit her head on a block of wood outside. "Jane Doe" and MONROE then went next door but MONROE left because people were accusing him of injuring "Jane Doe". Police also spoke to another individual who stated that "Jane Doe" had called him after the assault and he could hear MONROE in the background telling "Jane Doe" to say she fell.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case for the United States.

MONROE faces possible penalties of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 

 

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