Marion suspect pleads innocent in assault case

The Daily Inter Lake

A Marion man pleaded innocent Thursday to beating a woman, threatening to kill her and then holding a knife to her throat.

During his arraignment in Flathead County District Court, Michael John Farrell, 46, entered innocent pleas to aggravated assault and assault with a weapon, both felonies.

When Flathead County Sheriff's deputies responded to the Moose Crossing campground in Marion early on Oct. 16 - the second time that night law enforcement officers were dispatched to a disturbance between the couple - they found the woman with severe bruises on her face, according to court documents.

The woman, who was treated at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, told investigators Farrell repeatedly punched and kicked her over a period of three hours. Prosecutors allege Farrell hit the woman hard enough to break her false teeth into pieces.

On three separate occasions, Farrell pulled the woman's head back and held a knife with a 4-inch blade to her throat, threatening to kill her, according to court documents.

Farrell was arrested at his home later that day. If convicted, Farrell faces up to 40 years in prison.