Calvert sentenced to life in prison

THOMPSON FALLS – A few weeks short of a year after the tragic murder took place in Dixon, Nathan Lee William Calvert was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Judge Deborah K. Christopher sentenced Calvert to two life sentences at the Montana State Prison to run consecutively with another 80 years to run concurrently with the life sentences.

Despite the pleas from the family to include no option for parole, Judge Christopher stated she was not going to impose a parole restriction.

“While it doesn’t do anything to keep the defendant or other defendants from committing similar crimes, it does reflect the fact that (Calvert) did assume responsibility,” Judge Christopher said.

Calvert waived his right for a jury trial when he pled guilty and for this reason the Judge did not oppose the parole restriction.

“He had nothing to lose by taking this matter to trial,” said Judge Christopher. “ Quite frankly, the family had a lot more to lose if they had to relive this in the public eye.”

It was made clear in court that Calvert suffered from a mental disease but now the focus was on whether to send him to the Montana State Prison or the Montana State Hospital. After testaments of numerous medical professionals who had personally examined Calvert, the decision was somewhat split.

Calvert was diagnosed with both schizoaffective disorder and antisocial personality disorder – something that doctors mentioned were a bad combination of traits.

According to Doctor of Psychology, Vincent Bryan River, Calvert was suffering from a psychotic episode at the time of the murder.

After reviewing an audio recording of Calvert shortly after his arrest, Dr. River said it almost appeared Calvert was possessed.

“The thing that was very striking to me as a psychologist listening was the experience that this was an individual who sounded like he was possessed,” explained Dr. River. He explained Calvert used very primitive and primal sayings, repeatedly saying, “I slave.” From there, Calvert would start to cry or engage the deputies in a conversation – his mood changing dramatically with no warning.

Dr. River explained Calvert’s ego appeared to be cycling rapidly. He explained that from his evaluation, the use of spice – a legal substance Calvert was admittedly using at the time of the murder, most likely increased his psychosis, however, Calvert had been experiencing psychotic episodes throughout the autumn prior to the stabbing.

Another healthcare professional from the Montana State Hospital, Dr. Virginia Hill,

recommended that Calvert be housed in the Montana State Hospital instead of prison.

As the evaluating and treating forensic psychiatrist at the hospital, she once again confirmed Calvert’s mental illness.

Neither Dr. Hill nor Dr. River could guarantee that if Calvert was released from prison even while medicated, that he would not have another violent outburst. Dr. Hill also believed that spice contributed to Calvert’s actions that night.

County Attorney Bob Zimmerman later called Dr. William David Stratford to the stand. Dr. Stratford, a doctor specializing in psychiatry, stated that although spice may have contributed to his mental state that was in no means a reason for defense.

“You can’t get drunk in Montana and then run into the crowd and kill five or ten people and then claim the alcohol made you do it. If you choose to use a drug, you can’t use it as an excuse,” said Dr. Stratford.

He then recommended that Calvert instead go to the Montana State Prison, where he believed Calvert should remain for the rest of his life.

“I think he should get a lifetime sentence and I don’t think he should ever walk the streets,” said Dr. Stratford.

The trial started with victim testaments, primarily family members, who voiced how the murder of Douglas Morigeau had impacted their life. Each person who took the stand recommended that Calvert receive the maximum punishment without the chance of parole.

First to speak was Doug’s brother, John Morigeau, who said the sudden departure of his brother not only affected him and his family, but the entire valley.

“You know he took away something that we’ll never get back,” said John going on to say that Calvert has been a debt to society.

Doug’s younger sister, Elene Morigeau Marion, then took the stand, depicting good times she spent with her brother. Overall it all boiled down to her close relationship to her brother.

“I was very close to my brother so it’s difficult to give you an accurate picture of the overwhelming effect this has had on me,” said Marion. “It’s never going to bring my brother back.”

She explained that the reason the family was in court today was because Doug and his wife, Cheryl had a bond that could not be broken.

“We are here today because Nathan Calvert couldn’t break that love. Had he done so Cheryl wouldn’t be here either,” said Marion. “My brother literally fought to the death to save Cheryl’s life and in return she was determined not to let him die in vain. “

She stated that Calvert made a conscious, selfish decision to stop medicating himself after being diagnosed with a mental illness and for this, he should pay the price of life in prison without parole.

Doug’s niece, Bonnie Kay Morigeau-Perry, stated that the maximum sentence would never be enough.

“I listen to my family say they request the maximum punishment of life in prison without a chance of parole but if you ask me, that’s the punishment my family is going to face,” said Perry.

The final victim brought before the court was Doug’s wife, Cheryl. During the home invasion in early December of last year, Cheryl was close to losing her life as well. Her throat had been slit and she managed to escape the fate that awaited her husband Doug.

As she took the stand, her voice was quiet – a sign of what Calvert had done to her.

According to a previous statement provided in court, Cheryl had sustained severe nerve damage and lost mobility in one of her arms. Although, some mobility is now back, her vocal cords were also severely damaged during the attack.

Cheryl explained that to this day she doesn’t understand why this happened to her and her family.

“I don’t understand why this man picked our house, I probably never will,” Cheryl said. As she continued she said life was all about the choices people make and the consequences that go along with them.

“I have a lot of consequences from Mr. Calvert’s actions. I’ve lost my husband, my family has lost their dad, their grandpa, their uncle, their brother. I lost my home,” Cheryl explained. Cheryl no longer lives at the house she once called home with her husband because the memories are too painful.

“I’ll never be 100 percent,” Cheryl said. But her hardest loss was that of security and the feeling of safety. Cheryl explained that she always wonders who might be the next to cause harm.

When Judge Christopher asked Calvert if he had anything to say to the family, Calvert’s response was simple.

“Nothing I can say will bring closure for what I’ve done,” Calvert said.

Once her testament was given, Zimmerman said the state’s recommendation paralleled that of the family – the maximum punishment without parole.

For the first count of deliberate homicide, Zimmerman asked that the defendant be sent to the Montana State Prison for 100 years, or a life sentence, without the possibility of parole. For the second count of attempted deliberate homicide, he asked for the same sentence to run consecutive to the first. As for count three of aggravated burglary and count four of robbery, Zimmerman recommended the state also give the max of 40 years per count to also run consecutive – in total 280 years in prison.

Calvert’s Defense Attorney Steven N. Eschenbacher asked that instead Calvert be sentenced to 60 years on both the first and second counts and 40 years on the third and fourth counts to run concurrent. He recommended that the Department of Public Health and Human Services place Calvert where they seemed fit.

“I’m not trying to reduce recognition of what has been done. But 60 years from now Nathan will be 93, and I don’t believe he will live that long,” Eschenbacher said. “He will never be without supervision and that’s assuming he isn’t released. But 15 years from now I don’t know if there won’t be some new medicine that could actually cure schizophrenia. If there was and he could be cured, I hope we can at least offer it to him.”

As Judge Christopher made her decision, she stated that many loved Douglas Eugene Morigeau. Her hopes were that one day his family could look back at their time with him and celebrate his birthday with great joy.

“(Doug’s) family…has to not allow what the defendant took to define your memory of your father, of your husband, of your uncle and of your brother,” Judge Christopher said.

Judge Christopher also said Calvert has had a long history of violence, something the court did not get into specifically during the sentencing.

“It was clear reading that history that he had been given a number of chances,” Judge Christopher said. “He is and will remain an incredible threat to the public for the rest of his life unless there is some significant change in our ability to treat mental illness.”

She reminded the family and friends that no matter the sentence, this day was the day they would have the chance to finally get closure and move on with their lives.

“No matter what I sentence him to – it’s done, it’s over today,” Judge Christopher said.