HAVRE — A former Montana state House speaker who’s charged with threatening a tenant with a shotgun is eligible for a public defender.
The Havre Daily News reports that a state district judge ruled Wednesday that Bob Bergren doesn’t have enough disposable assets to hire an attorney.
Bergren is accused of threatening a former tenant on Aug. 28 at a Havre property he owns. He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony assault with a weapon.
He has previously said he felt threatened and was protecting his property.
Bergren, a Democrat, was House speaker in 2009. He served in the Legislature from 2003 to 2010.
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