By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – After more than nine hours of deliberations in the trial of William Joe Skidmore, a Hill County District Court jury came to a not guilty verdict to the charge of negligent homicide, which was the lesser included offense.
The trial began on Monday and the jury began deliberations at 10:41 AM on Thursday before coming to a verdict at 7:48 PM.
The jury was polled at the request of prosecutor R. Tim Jeffery, Deputy Hill County Attorney after reading the verdict, and all jurors affirmed that the ruling was unanimous.
The case stemmed from an incident in August 2017 in which Skidmore was alleged to have struck a tree while driving under the influence on 9th Street West in Havre.
Skidmore has denied driving the vehicle and pleaded not guilty to the charge of vehicular homicide while under the influence in June 2020.
One of the alleged passengers, Jason Skidmore, was life-flighted to Benefis Hospital and died of his injuries.
