FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
VALANDA WHITE HAWK 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 August 13, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, VALANDA WHITE HAWK, a 30-year-old resident of Wolf Point, pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Sentencing is set for November 3, 2008. She is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On November 2, 2007, WHITE HAWK and the female victim were at a house party in Wolf Point when WHITE HAWK stabbed the victim in the face and chest with a knife.
When officers responded to the scene of the stabbing, an officer heard WHITE HAWK yell, "I killed her this time," as another officer was taking WHITE HAWK into custody.
The victim was found lying on the floor in the kitchen area and an individual was holding a towel to her face in an attempt to stop the bleeding from a large stab wound. The individual told police that the victim had suffered stab wounds to her face, chest, and shoulder.
Officers found a folding knife that was locked into the open position sitting on a table in the kitchen area. Several witnesses were interviewed and each stated WHITE HAWK had stabbed the victim.
The victim was transported to the Wolf Point Hospital where she was diagnosed with a 6 cm deep laceration to the left side of her face, a stab wound to her left chest, and a stab wound to her upper left arm. The stab wound to her left cheek punctured into the oral cavity. The doctor characterized her wounds as serious bodily injury based upon the location and depth of the stab wounds. He also stated that the face and chest wounds could have easily been fatal and that the facial wound would result in long term disfigurement.
WHITE HAWK faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Carroll prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
