Pair sentenced in Indian girl’s beating

LEWISTON – A mother and daughter accused of the racially motivated beating of an American Indian girl have been sentenced after pleading guilty to lesser charges.

Prosecutors say conflicting accounts of the fight made it difficult to convict Jill R. Grant, 40, and Ashley N. Grant, 21, of felony malicious harassment under the state’s hate crime law.

District Judge Jeff M. Brudie on Friday sentenced Jill Grant to six months in jail with two months suspended. Ashley Grant was sentenced to four months in jail. Both were given credit for time served.

Ashley Grant pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor battery. Jill Grant pleaded guilty to one count each of misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor battery.

According to police, the episode began Sept. 12 when the two women and two or three other people began chanting “white pride” and “white power” on the steps of an apartment building.

A 13-year-old American Indian girl reportedly asked, “What about Native pride?” According to court records, first Ashley Grant and then her mother struck and kicked the girl.

The two had faced up to five years in prison on one count each of felony malicious harassment.