Teary wife tells of assault

By John Grant Emeigh, of The Montana Standard - 10/19/2007

Angel Schmidt, wife of Jason Schmidt, testifies Thursday afternoon in Butte district court about the night she was assaulted in the Irish Times — the same night James Correia was stabbed to death outside the bar.

Her testimony interrupted several times by uncontrollable sobbing, the wife of an accused murderer recounted Thursday how she was assaulted in an Uptown bar the night of the fatal stabbing.

Angel Schmidt told the Butte district court jury that a man pulled her to the ground and punched her in the face while at the Irish Times on a rowdy March morning that ended in a violent death.

Angel’s husband, Jason L. Schmidt, is accused of stabbing James D. Correia, of Everett, Wash., to death on Galena Street just before 2 a.m. March 24.

Angel Schmidt, 21, testified on the fourth day of the trial. The prosecution rested its case at 10:20 a.m.

Angel Schmidt said she noticed Correia, 24, in the bar earlier that evening, and he appeared to be intimidating people and trying to start fights. She recalled he had “scary eyes.” After someone pulled her to the floor by her hair, Angel Schmidt said someone punched her in the face and gave her a bloody nose. Though she didn’t see who did that to her, she said she learned it was Correia.

This led to a brawl in the bar. After everyone was kicked out after the fight, Jason Schmidt is accused of fatally stabbing Correia outside the bar.

The defense claims Schmidt, 23, was acting in self-defense. The defense contends Schmidt had no choice but to stab the much stronger Correia, whom they say was on top of Schmidt and beating him to death.

The state alleges Schmidt just lashed out in anger at Correia and stabbed an unarmed man.

Schmidt’s wife testified that she never saw her husband get into a fight or stab Correia.

Angel Schmidt broke down and cried several times on the stand and was allowed to take a break twice during her emotional testimony.

She spoke in agony about a dispute she had with her husband the night before the stabbing. She testified that Jason Schmidt wanted to leave the bar early and go home.

“I didn’t want him to leave me,” she said through tears.

Jason’s older brother, John Schmidt, testified that he saw Correia slam Angel to the floor by her hair. John Schmidt testified he charged Correia after that incident, but another patron restrained him.

John Schmidt admitted under questioning that he originally told police the morning of the stabbing that his brother usually didn’t carry a knife. However, he changed his statement Thursday saying that his brother usually kept a knife in his pocket. He said he told the police a different story because, “I was scared for my brother.” Under cross examination by Assistant Deputy County Attorney Samm Cox, John Schmidt also said he never told detectives that morning that he saw Angel get slammed to the floor by Correia.

The defense is expected to call more witnesses Friday morning before Judge Brad Newman. Jason Schmidt hasn’t testified yet.

In other testimony Thursday: — Witnesses testified to the intensity of Correia’s eyes. Lana Schmidt, who is John Schmidt’s wife, said on the stand Correia had frightening eyes.

“I remember his eyes the most,” she said.

— People have testified that Correia tried to start a fight with Mario Smith that evening, but Smith refused to fight. Eyewitnesses said they were surprised by this because they claimed Smith usually didn’t back down from a fight.

— Angel Schmidt testified that police pointed their handguns at Jason Schmidt when they went into his room in their Butte home the morning of the stabbing to arrest him. She said he was only wearing his boxer shorts when police put him in handcuffs, and he didn’t resist arrest. Butte Police Detective Butch Harrington testified Wednesday that he and a fellow officer pointed their guns because Jason Schmidt was under the covers and didn’t immediately show police his hands when ordered to.

— Lana Schmidt said she saw Correia on several occasions lift up his shirt to reveal to patrons in the bar a “206” tattoo across his abdomen. This apparently represents the area code for Seattle.

— Reporter John Grant Emeigh may be reached via e-mail at john.emeigh@lee.net or by telephone, 496-5511.