Court enters not guilty plea for Brent Arthur Wilson
POLSON - Brent Arthur Wilson was arraigned on amended charges in the State of Montana vs. Brent Arthur Wilson today at the Lake County Courthouse in Polson. In the arraignment, the court entered a plea of not guilty and Wilson's trial has been set for 9 a.m. on Monday, July 12.
According to court documents, Wilson is charged with theft, a felony, Count I, attempted theft, a felony, Count I, deceptive practices, a felony, Count II, tampering with public records or information, a felony, Count III and criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, Count IV.
Wilson is held on $100,000 bond pending the resolution of multiple felony charges filed against him in September 2009 alleging he filed a variety of falsified documents with the county's Clerk and Recorder's Office. He is also accused of entering foreclosed homes, changing the locks and attempting to rent or sell the residence.
Wilson was evaluated at the Montana State Hospital and has been found mentally competent to stand trial.
A July 12 jury trial will go on as scheduled, despite defendant Brent Arthur Wilson's best attempt to try and waive the proceeding.
Not a lot was accomplished at the 53-year-old's status conference last Thursday in Judge Kim Christopher's District Courtroom. Wilson continues to insist that he is "only the beneficiary to the all capitals entity BRENT ARTHUR WILSON." Christopher has repeatedly reminded Wilson that such a status is not an option in her courtroom and she chided Wilson for his continued denial of assistance from stand-by counsel Steve Eschenbacher.
"This is a criminal courtroom," she said. "There is no contract law here, there is no beneficiary law here, there is nothing of that nature. I remain a neutral magistrate set to govern the rules and procedures in a criminal case of which there are two parties: one is the state and the other of which is you. You have counsel, talk to your counsel, please."
Wilson's continued efforts to waive any and all Constitutional rights prompted both Christopher and deputy county attorney Jessica Cole-Hodgkinson to ask whether that meant Wilson plans to enter a guilty plea to all charges. He had asked to waive his right to a jury trial, and at this point, pleading guilty is the only option for Wilson if he does not wish to partake in a trial.
"With regard to you indicating to me that you wish to waive your Constitutional rights, and you wish to waive your rights to a jury, and you wish for this matter to be closed, is the court to interpret that statement as a plea of guilty to the criminal charges pending against you?" Christopher asked the defendant.
Wilson told Christopher that it was her responsibility as "trustee" to take care of the issue.
"My concern remains that this matter will not be closed nor will any other action take place in the manner in which you are suggesting," Christopher said. "We will proceed to a jury trial."
Otherwise, as a pro se defendant who doesn't believe he appears as a criminal defendant, he may easily be proved guilty at his trial by the prosecuting attorney Cole-Hodgkinson. Despite his best intentions to defend him, Wilson has repeatedly rebuked Eschenbacher.
"He has explained to me the limits of any representation for him, which is to say, nothing," Eschenbacher said after the hearing. "I was instructed [by Wilson] not to say or do anything on his behalf."
Wilson's views and behavior have many believing he is a member of the "sovereign citizen movement." According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation website, which posted an alert about the movement in April, "Sovereign citizens are anti-government extremists who believe that even though they physically reside in this country, they are separate or ‘sovereign' from the United States. As a result, they believe they don't have to answer to any government authority, including courts, taxing entities, motor vehicle departments, or law enforcement."
Wilson is held on $100,000 bond pending the resolution of multiple felony charges filed against him in September 2009 alleging he filed a variety of falsified documents with the county's Clerk and Recorder's Office. His alleged crime is consistent with some of the actions the FBI ascribes to "sovereign citizens." He is also accused of entering foreclosed homes, changing the locks and attempting to rent or sell the residence.
Wilson's trial will begin Monday, July 12, unless he accepts a plea agreement or pleads guilty before that date.
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