Three brothers pleaded not guilty to felony charges for the beating of a member of the Blackfeet Nation of Montana.

The charges against Todd, Brian and Aaron Molenda were upgraded from misdemeanors after public uproar about the September 20 incident. They are accused of beating Ron Rides at the Door, a Glacier County commissioner.

The Molendas allegedly yelled racial slurs at Rides at the Door and his wife but they will not face hate crimes charges. The county attorney said the attack was not motivated by race, a decision supported by the state attorney general.

Get the Story:
Brothers plead not guilty in Cut Bank beating (The Great Falls Tribune 12/18)

Related Stories:
Charges upgraded in beating of Blackfeet man (12/8)
Blackfeet Nation seeks ouster of county attorney (12/5)
Montana city hears complaints of anti-Indian bias (12/4)
Meeting to discuss border town racism at Blackfeet (11/24)
No hate crime for attack on Blackfeet man (11/18)
Column: 'Dirty Indian' story stirs controversy (11/10)
Blackfeet Nation seeks hate crime charges (10/23)
No hate crime charges for men in 'dirty Indian' attack (10/21)