Page 12 - Flathead Beacon // 2.19.14

12 | FEBRUARY 19, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

No Charges to be Filed in Evergreen Stabbing

Prosecutor says there He said he and Lamar were walking near The entire ight takes about 20 sec- lease on his own recognizance stem-
is a credible claim of the Evergreen trailer park on South Ce- onds. Puckett did not have a knife wound ming from a 2013 drug charge, because
dar Drive where the ight occurred, with on him, the prosecutor said.
he allegedly told investigators during
self-defense
a woman they were both interested in Corrigan said Puckett described the the attempted homicide interrogation

walking in front of them.
knife as a dark-colored, single blade, that he has smoked marijuana since he’s
By MOLLY PRIDDY of the Beacon
According to Puckett’s version of the which responding oicers found on the been released and there are allegations
events, he walked in front of Lamar a bit, ground near Lamar.
that he has consumed alcohol as well.
The Flathead County Attorney’s Of- and then Lamar attacked him from be- Corrigan noted that the video does The court has already released an
ice will not pursue charges at this time hind, knocking him to the ground and not show either man with a knife.
arrest warrant for Puckett on that mat-
against the Kalispell man accused of beating him “pretty severely,” Corri- After Puckett left the scene, he said ter, Corrigan said, and he remains in the
stabbing another man during a Feb. 7 in- gan said. Puckett told investigators that he went to the trailer where the woman Flathead County Detention Center on

cident, due to a claim of self-defense.
Lamar pulled a knife on him, and so he was, and gave her the knife to dispose of. $25,000 bond.
According to County Attorney Ed pulled one as well, stabbing Lamar.
Law enforcement did not ind the knife As of Feb. 17, Puckett was still in jail.
Corrigan, Kyle Wesley Puckett, 28, has a As a general rule, Corrigan said, Puckett said he used in his attack, Cor- Corrigan said he has heard from the
“credible claim of self-defense” regard- when law enforcement receives a claim rigan said, but there is no indication that public, questioning the decision to re-
ing the Friday evening incident.
of self-defense, investigators remain the knife found lying beside Lamar be- lease Puckett in the irst place after he
“We are not going to ile attempted skeptical because the claim is presented longed to or was used by Puckett.
pleaded guilty by way of Alford to the
homicide charges against Puckett at this so often in violent cases. But two sur- “(Puckett) has, at this point, what ap- 2013 drug felony. But Corrigan said it’s
time,” Corrigan said.
veillance videos from a gas station and pears to be a credible and viable claim of not uncommon for irst-time felons to

Carl Scott “Scotty” Lamar, 27, the a pawn shop near the incident seem to self-defense,” Corrigan said.
be released, especially in a non-violent
man who was stabbed, was listed in crit- support Puckett’s story, Corrigan said.
Instead of charging Puckett, Corri- crime.
ical condition in the days following the The video from Lanes Conoco shows gan said the investigation into the stab- The prosecutor would not comment
stabbing, and on Feb. 17, Kalispell Re- the men following the woman across the bing will continue, and investigators on whether there would be any charges
gional Medical Center administrators highway, and the pawn shop video shows hope to answer lingering questions, such brought against the woman in this case
said his condition had been upgraded to that Lamar started walking behind as what happened to Puckett’s knife. for her alleged role in dealing with the
stable.
Puckett before attacking the other man, The county attorney’s oice also plans knife.

He received two supericial cuts to the prosecutor said.
on sending the surveillance footage to Puckett is scheduled to be sentenced
his abdomen, Corrigan said, and a stab “Lamar is assaulting him pretty vig- the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Feb. 19 for his Alford plea to the charge
wound behind his knee, which severed orously,” Corrigan said.
see if they can enhance it at all.
of possession of precursors to dangerous
an artery.
The ight moves behind a fence, Corrigan said he would likely release drugs charge. An Alford plea means the
Corrigan said Puckett “quite willing- where the cameras cannot see what oc- the surveillance footage to the public if individual does not admit to the act, but
ly volunteered that he had stabbed” La- curs from the shoulders down. Then the decision to not press charges stands.
acknowledges that the prosecution has
mar that night, but also told responding Puckett walks of, while Lamar slumps In the meantime, prosecutors have enough evidence to convict.
deputies that he did so in self-defense.
to the ground, Corrigan said.
iled a petition to revoke Puckett’s re-
[email protected]

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