Man pleads not guilty to attempted murder

A prosecutor has brought a more serious charge against a Kalispell man accused in a late-night stabbing.

Justin Michael Gallery, 36, now faces a charge of attempted deliberate homicide. He originally was charged with assault with a weapon in relation to a May 9 stabbing outside the Black Angus Casino.

Gallery pleaded not guilty to the amended charge Thursday in Flathead County District Court.

According to court documents, police responded to the Black Angus shortly after midnight on May 9. An officer found the victim lying on the ground, bleeding profusely from multiple stab wounds.

A witness told the Daily Inter Lake that there were large pools of blood around the scene. There were people trying to stop the bleeding before police arrived.

The following afternoon, the victim had recovered and spoke with police. He told them that he had an argument with Gallery’s girlfriend. Later, Gallery allegedly approached the victim in a van, broke out the windows and stabbed the man multiple times.

Under the charge of assault with a weapon, Gallery faced a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Now he could face up to life in prison, or the death penalty, if he is convicted of attempted deliberate homicide. According to Montana law, a person convicted of an attempted crime can be punished to the same level as a person convicted of the actual crime.

Gallery is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center on $75,000 bail. His next court date is set for June 17.

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