Clinic vandal files for high court appeal

The man who vandalized a Kalispell health-care clinic is taking his case to the Montana Supreme Court.

Zachary Jordan Klundt, 25, filed his notice of appeal with the state high court on July 21.

Klundt was sentenced to prison in June for destroying All Families Healthcare in Kalispell, a clinic that offered abortions as part of its services. Klundt also was ordered to pay more than $669,000 in restitution.

He also has submitted a request to the state Sentence Review Division. That was filed July 25 and is pending the submittal of more documents before the official review.

Klundt signed the appeal and sentence review documents as a self-represented defendant.

Peter Leander, Klundt’s attorney in Flathead County District Court, confirmed that he’s no longer on the case.

Leander said that he generally doesn’t take on appeals but he helped Klundt file the initial paperwork.

According to Klundt’s notice of appeal, he is awaiting a public defender. A motion for appointment of counsel has been submitted, according to the Supreme Court records.

Someone from Montana Attorney General Tim Fox’s office will appear in court on behalf of the state, according to Flathead County Attorney Ed Corrigan. He said his office will watch the appeal process and assist on review if needed.

On June 18, District Judge Ted Lympus sentenced Klundt to five years in prison for felony criminal mischief, burglary and theft.

Much of the restitution would go to Susan Cahill, the owner of All Families. She shuttered her business following Klundt’s destruction of the clinic.

Controversy surrounded the motive for the crime throughout the case. Klundt testified that he was drunk and looking for drugs at the time, and his attorney presented a spiral of mental health and substance abuse issues as underlying factors.

Others, including Cahill, said they felt the clinic was targeted because it provided abortions. During the June sentencing hearing, it was revealed that Klundt texted his mother about the clinic on the evening before the crime. He asked for Cahill’s name.

Klundt’s mother was a founding board member of Hope Pregnancy Ministries, a Christian pro-life organization. She resigned her position shortly after her son’s arrest.

Klundt is currently an inmate at the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge.

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.