STATE OF MONTANA, Plaintiff and Appellee, v. JAY STEVEN HUBBER, Defendant and Appellant

STATE OF MONTANA, Plaintiff and Appellee, v. JAY STEVEN HUBBER, Defendant and Appellant. Oral Argument is set for Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. in the Strand Union Building, Ballroom A, on the campus of Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, with an introduction to the oral argument beginning at 10:00 a.m. LIVESTREAM (now live) Hubber, a bail bondsman, was charged with accountability for deliberate homicide and aggravated burglary after he and his associate Nicholas Jaeger entered the home of William “Bill” Harris in search of a man for whom Hubber had posted bail and, while inside Harris’s home, Jaeger shot and killed Harris. A jury convicted Hubber of both charges. On appeal to the Montana Supreme Court, Hubber argues the trial court did not provide the jury with the correct “mental state” jury instructions. However, his trial counsel did not object, so Hubber requests that this Court either conduct a plain error review or conclude his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance. Hubber also argues the District Court erred by denying his motions to dismiss the accountability for deliberate homicide charge because the State offered insufficient evidence to support the conviction. Finally, Hubber argues the District Court erred when it refused to recognize that he had a bondsman’s privilege under Montana law when he entered Harris’s residence, and the trial court should have allowed him to submit jury instructions on the subject. About Contact us Employment Americans with Disabilities Act Public Privacy & Security MT.GOV