Man pleads not guilty to choking stepson

Judge Molly Owen set a trial date of March 3 for a Ravalli man accused of assaulting a minor.

Edward Wesley Monet, 51, entered a plea of not guilty in District Court in Polson on Oct. 2 to two counts of felony strangulation of a partner or family member, or in the alternative, two counts of felony assault on a minor.

According to court records, over a two-year period from March 7, 2022, to May 23, 2024, Monet allegedly wrapped his hands around the neck of his nine-year-old stepson and choked him on “multiple occasions.”

A sibling corroborated the alleged victim’s version of events during a forensic interview with investigators.

Monet is at liberty pending further court hearings.