The man facing homicide charges for the fatal shootings of four people at an Anaconda bar in 2025 is still undergoing treatment at the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs in an effort to declare him fit to stand trial.
Michael Paul Brown, the Anaconda resident accused of shooting and killing other residents of the southwest Montana town at the Owl Bar last August, appeared virtually for a status hearing before state District Court Judge Jeffrey Dahood Monday.
Brown had pleaded not guilty in September to separate counts of arson, homicide, theft and evading law enforcement.
In her remarks to the court, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Attorney Morgan Smith said that she and Brown’s attorney had jointly filed a motion in mid-December to have the defendant undergo a mental health evaluation to determine his competency to move forward with a trial. But Smith said that Brown had not actually been admitted to the forensic unit at Warm Springs until roughly a month later, on Jan. 12.
“The defendant has been evaluated, and the state hospital has developed an individualized treatment plan, as is required by statute, to assist in regaining fitness,” Smith said. “Where we sit today, your honor, is that the treatment plan remains ongoing.”
Smith did not disclose or describe what kind of treatment Brown had received, or for what specific condition.
Brown, wearing a green t-shirt and with a long beard, could be seen chatting with his attorney before the morning proceedings began. After Dahood initiated the hearing, Brown sat quietly but appeared attentive.
In her brief remarks during the hearing, which lasted less than 10 minutes, Smith also noted that the state was considering an additional motion to pursue involuntary medication for Brown, but that prosecutors were not prepared to make that request to the court Monday.
“We’re not in a position to make that request today, as we’re looking to have some additional documentation with the Montana State Hospital before we have appropriate filings before the court,” Smith said. “The state’s ask at this time, your honor, is that the defendant remain at the Montana State Hospital pursuant to the court’s order.”
As outlined in state law, a judge must approve the state’s ability to involuntarily medicate someone so that they may be found fit to stand trial. That step is authorized only if a treatment review committee and a special medication review board at the Montana State Hospital determine that a set of criteria has been met.
Those criteria include finding that the defendant in the case “suffers from a mental illness or mental disorder,” has been found to lack fitness to proceed to trial and that involuntary medication “is in the best medical interests of the defendant.” The law also requires that a defendant have the right to participate in a dedicated involuntary medication hearing and the opportunity to appeal.
Smith said she and Brown’s defense attorney, Walter M. Hennessey, had agreed on a status hearing update in 60 days. The county attorney also noted that the prosecution would reserve the right to request an additional, independent mental health evaluation.
Hennessey did not object to anything during the brief Monday hearing, but noted that could change if the state pursued an involuntary medication proceeding, commonly referred to as a Sell hearing.
“We will address the Sell issue once they file their pleadings, and we will respond and deal with that at the appropriate time,” Hennessey said. “As for them reserving the right to an independent mental health evaluation, I don’t have any problem with that. I’m going to reserve any objections because we don’t know how this is gonna develop.”
Dahood set the next status hearing for May 13.
This story was originally published by Montana Free Press at montanafreepress.org.
