Man to spend Christmas in jail for next 5 years

[September 30, 2010]  LIVINGSTON, Mont. (AP) -- A judge running for the state Supreme Court has given a man accused of assaulting a woman a sentence with an unusual twist.

District Court Judge Nels Swandal gave Daniel Martz a 10-year suspended sentence on Monday for a May 2009 attack in which Martz allegedly choked and hit a woman, and then tried to have her change her story.

Swandal also ordered Martz to report to jail each Dec. 15 through Jan. 1 for the next five years, according to the Livingston Enterprise.

Swandal said incarcerating Martz around the holidays will keep him out of trouble.

Park County Attorney Brett Linneweber said Martz's arrest record shows he has gotten into trouble before during holidays.

Swandal is running against Helena attorney Beth Baker to fill the seat of retiring Justice William Leaphart.

___

Information from: The Livingston Enterprise, http://www.livingstonenterprise.com/

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.