Krista Corner
Havre Daily News
kcorner@havredailynews.com
A convicted killer serving two life sentences, plus 100 years, in Montana State Prison for the fatal shooting of a Blaine County sheriff's deputy and the wounding of another has been charged in federal court with a felony count of maiming, a U.S. Attorney's Office press release said.
Laurence Dean Jackson Jr., 28, of Fort Belknap Indian Reservation is accused biting the
ear, nose and finger of William Gone on May 29, 2003, a federal court document said.
The indictment said Jackson bit the man with the
intention of disfiguring or maiming him.
A trial date will be set on May 4, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Jackson's court-appointed attorney, R. Henry Branom Jr., declined to comment Wednesday.
Jackson pleaded not guilty in a Great Falls federal courtroom on Tuesday.
Law enforcement officials have said Jackson bit Gone while the pair were riding in a car. Officials also have said they recovered a piece of Gone's ear.
A Missoula jury in November 2004 convicted Jackson in the shoot death of Blaine County sheriff's deputy Joshua Rutherford and the wounding of fellow deputy Loren Janis.
The deputies were responding to a domestic disturbance call involving Jackson. The alleged attack on Gone happened earlier the same night.
According to witnesses at the trial, Jackson spent most of the day drinking grain alcohol and beer.
Jackson has said he was in an alcoholic blackout and does not remember the events that took place that night.
Earlier this month, state District Judge John McKeon denied a motion to set a new trial for Jackson's deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide convictions.
