Inmate stabs himself in courtroom

After medical treatment is refused, court sends Straight to jail

A man stabbed himself in court Thursday when a judge ordered him to go to jail.

Thomas E. Straight, 53, was taken by ambulance to Kalispell Regional Medical Center, where he reportedly refused treatment for an open wound to his abdomen.

He was returned to the jail.

Straight, 53, has been under house arrest since he was arrested at the end of May. He is charged with two felony counts of elder abuse for incidents that involved allegedly exposing himself to an elderly woman.

District Judge Stewart Stadler revoked Straight's bond at a prosecutor's request because of his alleged victim's unease at having him home in the neighborhood.

After Stadler's order, security officer Jay Rickel walked over to Straight at the defense table in the courtroom.

"I overheard him say, 'I can't go to jail,'" Rickel said.

The officer escorted Straight to a chair in the jury box where prisoners await transfer to the jail.

"He had something in his hand. He was hiding it pretty well," Rickel said. "When he sat down, I saw it was a knife."

Security officer Bev Martinez grabbed Straight's left hand, which clutched the 3 1/2-inch pocket knife. Rickel seized Straight's right hand.

"He managed to stab

himself," Rickel said.

"Everybody cleared away," Martinez said, and Straight dropped the weapon.

Kalispell police officers were in the courtroom for Straight's hearing. The jail nurse and other officers responded and cared for Straight until an ambulance crew arrived.

Jail commander Kathy Frame said Straight was returned to jail when he refused medical care at the hospital.

Afterward, security personnel thought about what had happened.

"He could have stabbed anybody," Martinez said.

"It's sure a wake-up call," Rickel said.

Straight's attorney, Sean Hinchey, said he didn't see the knife, even though he was sitting inches from Straight during the hearing.

The security officers were credited for acting quickly and professionally.

"It's part of the job. You just go in and do it. I didn't think we did anything special," Martinez said.

Frame said that Straight told officers after the incident that he will do whatever he has to do to take his life.

He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.