MISSOULA – A city attorney in Missoula is requesting that all DUI trials be held before a jury in an attempt to get stiffer sentences.
Jim Nugent recently made the request amid concerns some people accused of drunken driving were waiving their right to a jury trial in hopes of getting a lighter sentence from a judge.
And prosecutor Andrew Scott says a recent jury trial resulted in the most substantial sentence he’s seen in a drunken driving case.
Officials say tolerance for drunk drivers in Missoula is decreasing following a year high-profile drinking and driving cases and deaths.