Suspect in box cutter attack pleads guilty

Accused of grievously wounding another man during a bar fight in April, Brockton Ferguson acknowledged Thursday stabbing his victim in the neck during a change of plea hearing in Flathead County District Court.

Ferguson, 36, made the acknowledgment after pleading guilty to felony aggravated assault for the April 5 attack in Kalispell. Ferguson, who has no permanent address listed with the court, has been held in the county jail with bail set at $250,000 since his arrest.

A soft spoken Ferguson — he needed reminding from Judge Allison Robert to speak up — admitted to knowingly causing serious bodily harm and doing so with a dangerous weapon under questioning from his attorney, Jordan Kilby. Deputy County Attorney Alison Howard offered more specific questions during her turn with Ferguson, asking him whether he stabbed the victim in the neck using a “sharp knife.”

“Yes,” Ferguson said quietly.

According to court documents, the victim slapped Ferguson prior to the stabbing. Witnesses told arriving Kalispell Police officers that Ferguson initially walked away from the other man, but returned and punched him in the face. Then he allegedly drew a box cutter and drove it into the victim’s neck.

Surveillance footage corroborated the account, according to court documents, showing Ferguson plunge an object into the victim’s throat and holding it there until a bystander pulled him away.

The stabbing left the victim spitting up and choking on blood, court documents said. Emergency responders took him to Logan Health Medical Center for treatment. The wound was deep enough to render his trachea visible, court documents said.

Prosecutors initially charged Ferguson with attempted deliberate homicide. They amended the charge to aggravated assault with a weapons enhancement as part of a plea agreement with the 36-year-old. Howard told the court that the victim in the case signed off on the deal. It had “his blessing,” she said.

As per the terms of the agreement, prosecutors will recommend Ferguson spend 20 years in Montana State Prison with five years suspended. The weapons enhancement carries an additional 10 years, which prosecutors will recommend Ferguson serve suspended and consecutive to his 20-year stint.

As part of the deal, Ferguson will become eligible for parole only after finishing treatment for alcoholism, court documents said.

After accepting Ferguson’s guilty plea, Allison set sentencing for Jan. 12.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.