A Martin City man accused of shooting and killing another man is expected to stand trial in January.
James William Quen appeared at a status hearing in Flathead County District Court on Dec. 21 before Judge Heidi Ulbricht. During the 20-minute hearing, attorneys for both sides assured the judge that they would be ready for the trial to start on Jan. 7. Flathead County District Attorney Travis Ahner said the trial is expected to take a week.
According to Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry and court documents, deputies responded to the scene of a shooting in Hungry Horse at about 11:40 p.m. on April 25. When they arrived they found 33-year-old Bradley Allen Winters dead from a single gunshot wound. The initial investigation revealed that there had been an altercation over money and clothing outside Winters’ home and at some point Quen reportedly took out a gun. Quen allegedly fired the gun multiple times, hitting Winters once in the chest.
Quen pleaded not guilty to a single charge of felony deliberate homicide in Flathead County District Court on May 31. Quen is expected to argue that he shot Winters in self-defense.