Coryn Lawyer, 23, Pleads Guilty to Stabbing in Kamiah

Coryn Lawyer, 23, of Kamiah, Idaho, admitted in federal court today to stabbing another woman during a violent confrontation at her home. The Nez Perce tribal member pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, a charge carrying up to ten years behind bars, according to U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson.

The incident unfolded on February 4, 2016, inside Lawyer’s residence, where she and the victim engaged in a heated argument that quickly turned physical. As the victim attempted to leave, Lawyer seized two knives and attacked her, slashing her shoulder, ankle, and knee. The wounds, though described as small lacerations, were enough to trigger a federal investigation.

Federal prosecutors stepped in after a grand jury in Coeur d’Alene returned an indictment on July 20, 2016, asserting jurisdiction due to the crime occurring on tribal land under federal authority. The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and as much as three years of supervised release following incarceration.

Lawyer’s decision to plead guilty now avoids a trial, but it does not soften the gravity of the act. Court documents confirm she admitted to grabbing the knives and striking the victim before allowing her to flee the scene. No weapon was retrieved at the time by responding officers, but forensic and witness evidence sealed the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2017, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene. Federal sentencing guidelines will weigh the nature of the assault, prior record, and impact on the victim, though specifics of any plea deal remain undisclosed.

The FBI and Nez Perce Tribal Police jointly investigated the case, a collaboration that underscores the complex jurisdictional landscape of crime on tribal reservations. As federal prosecutors continue to pursue violent offenses in Indian Country, Lawyer’s guilty plea adds to a growing list of convictions under federal jurisdiction in Idaho’s rural backcountry.