Houle lawyer removed from Huston case

Michael Sherwood, who has been representing Shad Huston during the federal cases in which former Chippewa Cree tribal council member John “Chance” Houle has been pegged as an embezzler from the tribe is now not able to represent his client due to his work with Houle, an admitted embezzler.

The decision was made for fear of a conflict of interest on Sherwood’s part, as he has represented both men in their cases.

“The evidence further indicated that Michael J. Sherwood P.C. appeared to possess a vested interest in protecting Houle while he represented the Huston Defendants,” reads the court-ordered decision to remove Sherwood.

The court will appoint the Federal Defenders of Montana to represent Huston, unless or until he finds another lawyer.

At Huston’s scheduled sentencing, Sherwood and his client were given the option to retract their previous guilty plea. Sherwood maintained that they did not know the true nature of what his client was pleading guilty to. Federal Judge Brian Morris told them he would not sentence anyone who did not believe they were guilty.

In the time since, attorneys representing the United States in cases investigated by the Guardians Project, which aims to prosecute corruption on Montana Indian reservations, filed to have Sherwood removed for his conflict of interest.

A jury trial for Huston is scheduled July 8 at Missouri River Federal Courthouse in Great Falls.