Calvert to appear in court Tuesday

THOMPSON FALLS – Nathan Lee William Calvert will be appearing for his rescheduled omnibus hearing on April 16 at 10 a.m.

Originally, the omnibus hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 5, however, Calvert had not received a court ordered mental evaluation by that date.

At the Feb. 5 hearing, Calvert’s attorney Steven N. Eschenbacher asked Judge Deborah K. Christopher to enter a not guilty plea for his client until the full evaluation had taken place.

According to County Attorney Robert L. Zimmerman, the mental evaluation, which was to take place at the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, would hopefully have been completed in the month of March.

The Montana State Hospital was unable to evaluate Calvert before the initial omnibus hearing because of space limitations.

The evaluation can take up to 90 days to be performed.

Zimmerman stated that at the time of the Feb. 5 hearing, the state was not seeking the death penalty.

Calvert allegedly murdered Doug Morigeau, stabbing him 54 times and slit the throat of his wife Cheryl, who escaped the attack.

Calvert is charged with deliberate homicide, aggravated burglary and robbery.

Unless the state provides notice that they intend to seek the death penalty, the maximum possible penalty the first offense would be life imprisonment in the Montana state prison for a term of not less than 10 years, no more than 100 years.

With regards to the second count of aggravated burglary, the maximum possible penalty is a term not to exceed 40 years or be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000 or both.

In regards to the robbery, the maximum punishment is imprisonment in the Montana state prison for a term of not less than two years, nor more than 40 years and may be fined not more than $50,000.

Judge Christopher set the trial date for April 16; however, the date is open to continuance if deemed appropriate by the court.

The omnibus hearing will take place at the Sanders County Courthouse inThompson Falls.