Stidham remains in jail on $100,000 bond

A Havre woman facing charges including threatening or trying to shoot her husband with his own gun remains in Hill County jail this morning on $50,000 bond for breaking probation and another $50,000 on pending drug charges after a judge denied a motion to reduce that bond.

Cindy Stidham, born in 1966, was arrested Jan. 24 while out on bond on charges including assault with a weapon.

Stidham admitted in a hearing in state District Court in Havre Monday to drinking in a bar in violation of conditions of her release on bond and to possession of drugs and paraphernalia.

The Hill County Attorney’s Office has requested permission to file possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia charges, which had not been granted as of this morning.

Stidham’s attorney, Public Defender Thomas Schoenleben, requested during the hearing Monday that Stidham’s bond be reduced because it was cost-prohibitive to her making bail, adding that whether it is $50,000 or $100,000 makes no significant difference.

District Judge Dan Boucher said Stidham has a history of not abiding by conditions of release on the pending charges.

“By my count, this is at least the fourth petition to revoke,” Boucher said, adding that Stidham again was found with the man she is accused of assaulting, her husband, Randy Stidham.

Boucher said the history shows a substantial risk of the public being harmed if she is released and again violates conditions, which seems likely by her previous refusal to abide by prohibition of her possessing drugs or alcohol.

“And Miss Stidham doesn’t seem to care,” he said.

Stidham was arrested June 20 on a charge of attempted murder and two counts of partner or family member assault after a man called the Havre Police Department to report a fight at Randy Stidham’s business and residence on the 1400 Block of 1st Street.

She was charged June 28 with a felony count of assault with a weapon and two counts of partner or family member assault, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors. The felony assault with a weapon charge was reduced from attempted murder charge at her arrest.

Randy Stidham told investigating officers June 20 that she cocked a .22 caliber pistol that belonged to him and and pointed it at him. He knocked it out of her hands, he said.

After a struggle with him and with some of their children, Cindy Stidham left and later was located at her residence by Hill County deputy sheriffs, a charging document says.

Randy Stidham told officers that he noticed after Cindy Stidham left that his gun had jammed. He told officers he was glad she had not grabbed his 9 mm pistol because it does not jam and he would have been shot.