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I literally get ill every time I think about this story. This is just SO WRONG.
N.B.
-------------------- All submitted posts under this user name are works of pure fiction or outright lies. Any information, statement, or assertion contained therein should be considered pure unadulterated bullshit. Note well: Sorry, but I do not answer PM's unless you are a long-time trusted friend. If you have a question, ask it in the appropriate thread.
This is so fucking insane, it's always like this. If only america wasn't up our asses we could actually legalize drugs and be a example that it works. this is so fucking insane.
Mom of 4 reflects on first year
in prison for $31 pot sale
December 26, 2011 - Tulsa World
TAFT - Wearing prison-issue yellow
clothes, Patricia Spottedcrow reflects on her first year in prison
through the lens of tears and determination.
One year ago, on the week of Christmas, the first-time offender was
checked into the Eddie Warrior women's prison - the first holiday away
from her four young children.
"I cried and cried just thinking of my kids opening presents on
Christmas and I wasn't there," she said. "This year, it's going to be
any other day. I try not to keep up with days in here."
At her mother's home in Kingfisher, there is a somber tone among her
children - ages 2, 4, 5 and 10.
"We're crying here too," said her mother, Delita Starr. "We'll try to
make sure there is money in her account for a phone call. What else can
we do?"
Spottedcrow, 26, was arrested and charged for selling $31 in marijuana
to a police informant in December 2009 and January 2010. Starr, 51, was
also charged.
Because children were in the home, a charge of possession of a
dangerous substance in the presence of a minor was added.
In blind pleas before a judge, Spottedcrow received a 12-year sentence
and her mother received a 30-year suspended sentence. Neither had prior
criminal convictions.
The judge sentencing the two said she allowed Starr to avoid prison so
she could care for Spottedcrow's children.
When Spottedcrow was booked, after her sentence was handed down,
marijuana was found in the jacket she was wearing. She pleaded guilty
to that additional charge and was sentenced to two years running
concurrent with the previous sentence.
After her story was published in the Tulsa World, a groundswell of
support grew. Supporters expressed concern with possible racial bias,
unequal punishment among crimes, women in prison, effects on children
of incarcerated parents and extreme sentences for drug offenses.
Oklahoma City attorney Josh Welch has been donating his services to
fight what he calls an inequitable punishment.
In October, a Kingfisher County judge took four years off her sentence.
The judge issued an order rather than allow her an appearance in court.
Her attorney and supporters believe it was to avoid the crowd expected
to be at the courthouse that day.
Welch said he plans to file for post-conviction relief, alleging the
original attorney was ineffective and had a conflict in representing
Spottedcrow and her mother. He plans to make the filing in early
January and submit an early parole packet at the same time.
"We are grateful to get four years taken off her sentence but still
believe the sentence is unjust and excessive," Welch said.
Days blur in prison
"The first eight months were a blur," Spottedcrow said. "I just cried a
lot. It's like I woke up a couple of months ago."
Her daily schedule starts with breakfast at 5:30 a.m., followed by her
job in the laundry. At 4:30 p.m., she is released and goes to the gym,
followed by dinner and then church at 7 p.m.
"You have to try and keep your mind busy," she said. "It's easy to get
sad, depressed and stuck in your own head in here."
Prison is no picnic, even at a minimum-security campus like Eddie
Warrior, she said.
"I took for granted using the bathroom by myself, what clothes you can
wear and being able to pick up and go to the store when you want,"
Spottedcrow said. "I hate not being able to use your own shampoo and
you are limited to spending $10 a month (in the commissary)."
But it's her kids taking up most of her thoughts.
"I was there every day taking of care of them before this," she said.
"I did everything from going to football games and PTA."
While in prison, Spottedcrow has taken parenting classes, finished her
GED and participates in a grief/loss recovery program, a behavior
course, Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous and a faith-based
program. She is on a waiting list to begin higher education and Career
Tech classes.
"The life I was living before, that's over," Spottedcrow said. "I'm not
playing with my life anymore. I would never chance this again for my
children."
Spottedcrow never denied she smoked pot but said she was never a drug
dealer or ever used or sold marijuana in front of her children.
"I got myself in this situation, and I'm not saying I shouldn't be
punished," she said. "But I think this is a little excessive,
especially looking at other cases from my county. And I'm sleeping next
to people who have killed people, and they have less time than me.
There are days I really can't believe I'm in prison."
In prison, she has had three misconducts: one for bartering when she
gave an inmate cigarettes, one for having contraband when cookies were
found in her locker without a receipt and another for aiding and
abetting when she did not tell authorities a woman put bleach in the
laundry area.
"I have a big heart," she said. "When I see someone in need, like for
food, I want to help if I can. But you can get a misconduct in here for
the littlest things."
'We struggle every day'
In her classes, she has reflected on her life and changes that need to
be made, including in her love life.
When she entered prison, she was still in a relationship with her
common-law husband, who is the father of three of her children. Now,
that relationship is essentially over, and he has not been supporting
or caring for the children either, she said.
"The reality is - out of sight, out of mind," she said. "We were kids
having kids. I'm taking it day by day right now. But when I get out of
here, I'm only worrying about me and my kids. They are my first
concern."
And there may be some concerns to work through with her children.
At the Kingfisher home, it's been a tough existence and one that is
relying on the generosity and help of others.
Spottedcrow's oldest child has been acting out since her incarceration.
"He's in trouble for stealing, and his mouth is real swift and sharp,"
Starr said. "He blames me a lot for what happened to his mother. The
girls want to cry a lot. They don't like to listen to me, saying,
'You're not my mother.' We struggle every day."
Financially, the situation has been devastating at times.
Starr earns $8 an hour at a truck stop and doesn't have a driver's
license because of a conviction. Spottedcrow's oldest child pitches in
with a few dollars from odd jobs he does at their church.
Starr's utility and food costs have shot up since she took in the four
children, and she owes $8,000 in court fines. As part of her sentence,
she must take two drug tests a year, costing $150 each.
"But there are other little things, like I couldn't buy their school
pictures this year," Starr said. "At school, kids can buy popcorn for
$1 on Fridays, and sometimes mine are the only ones not getting
popcorn."
But there are helping hands.
When her washing machine broke down, the school principal's church
purchased a new machine. She has a son and daughter who come over to
help. People have been generous in sending needed clothes and donating
food.
Starr's health, however, has been in decline, with high blood pressure
and a gall bladder surgery she has been putting off.
"We go to church every week and pray," Starr said. "I wouldn't have
made it this far without the Lord."
The oldest child is seeing a counselor, but the other three are not.
Starr admits she used to "party," which included smoking marijuana. But
she has been sober since becoming a full-time caregiver for her
grandchildren.
"All that partying came to a halt," she said. "I look at my grandkids
every day and know marijuana is what took away their mother. I don't
want no more of that."
Ready for a reunion
At Eddie Warrior, Spottedcrow spends a lot of time writing letters to
her family and thinking about reuniting with them. She makes sure to
send money she's earned from the laundry job to her children on their
birthdays.
"There are women in here who don't know where their kids are," she
said. "I don't have to worry about that. I wouldn't trust my kids with
anyone else but my mother. There are days in here I really miss my
kids, but I can't say I worry about my kids."
Her son has visited three times; the girls have been once. Because of
the separation anxiety after the visit, no more visits are planned.
Also, it takes about four hours to get to the prison, and the family
has no car.
"I talk to my baby and mom every day, sometimes two or three times just
to get through the day," Spottedcrow said.
"Prison changes you - it has to. It has definitely opened my eyes to
things I was doing wrong. You see everything differently. You have a
lot of time to think. You see and think about the negative stuff you
were doing and the negative people around you and the stupid things you
were doing."
Spottedcrow would like to start her own business and is preparing for
the difficulty in finding a job as a felon.
First, she enjoys thinking of her release.
"I'm ready for it, and I won't look back," she said. "When I get to my
kids, we're going to be closed up in the house together for a while. I
have a lot of making up to do."
Poor woman. WTF is a $31 sack of weed anyway? But yeah, if you value cannabis freedom at all: never ever move here to Oklahoma! I've spent many days in jail over some seeds and stems that a highway patrol found in the carpet of my vehicle.
Why aren't people lobbying to get this woman out of jail and back to her family where she belongs????? This is a total outrage. The sentencing judge should lose his job, and the rules, laws, and system that put this woman behind bars should be completely overhauled.
I am SO ashamed of my country for doing this. Fuck Oklahoma!!!!!!!
N.B.
-------------------- All submitted posts under this user name are works of pure fiction or outright lies. Any information, statement, or assertion contained therein should be considered pure unadulterated bullshit. Note well: Sorry, but I do not answer PM's unless you are a long-time trusted friend. If you have a question, ask it in the appropriate thread.
Those responsible for locking a woman up over a quarter to maybe a full oz of weed will come to rue the day they made such a decision. They will ask themselves "why" countless times.
This pain doesn't end with her or her kids or family. Those who've instigated this great injustice will reap what they've sown.
Oklahoma parole board agrees to give Spottedcrow early hearing February 16, 2012 - Tulsa World
A Kingfisher woman serving an eight-year prison sentence on a first-time offense for selling $31 in marijuana is getting a chance at parole after the board unanimously agreed to hear her case early.
Patricia Spottedcrow, 26, is scheduled to appear on the Pardon and Parole Board's docket April 17-20 in Oklahoma City.
Board member Marc Dreyer of Tulsa had asked for a pre-docket investigation report on Spottedcrow. After reviewing the findings, he made a motion at the January board meeting to speed up her parole hearing.
Others agreed.
"I thought her case was worthy of consideration," Dreyer said.
Spottedcrow was arrested and charged for selling the marijuana to a police informant in December 2009 and January 2010. Her mother, Delita Starr, 51, was also charged.
Because children were in the home, a charge of possession of a dangerous substance in the presence of a minor was added.
In blind pleas before a judge, Spottedcrow received a 12-year sentence and her mother received a 30-year suspended sentence. Neither had prior criminal convictions.
At the time, Kingfisher County did not have a community sentencing program, such as a Drug Court or Women in Recovery.
When Spottedcrow was booked, after her sentence was handed down, marijuana was found in the jacket she was wearing. She pleaded guilty to that additional charge and was sentenced to two years running concurrent with the previous sentence.
After her story was published in the Tulsa World, a groundswell of support grew. Supporters expressed concern with possible racial bias, unequal punishment among crimes, women in prison, effects on children of incarcerated parents and extreme sentences for drug offenses.
In October, a Kingfisher County judge took four years off her sentence.
"It's fantastic the board is taking such an interest in this," said Oklahoma City attorney Josh Welch, who has been donating his services to represent Spottedcrow. "It speaks volumes that one member of the board, on his own, thought this is worthy to do."
Welch filed for post-conviction relief Tuesday, alleging the original attorney was ineffective and had a conflict in representing Spottedcrow and her mother. The petition also argues the sentence "is excessive and shocks the conscience."
In the filings and court records, the original defense attorney, Mark Clayborne, has since been convicted of two felony charges - perjury by subornation and allowing the introduction of a false exhibit as evident - after a jury trial in an unrelated case.
Clayborne's license to practice law in Oklahoma is suspended while he appeals the conviction and he will be disbarred if the conviction is upheld, court records show.
Clayborne has declined a request by Welch to provide a statement about Spottedcrow's case.
Welch said he will proceed with the appeal to contest the merits of her sentence and possibly get an early release from probation.
Welch called the move "a step in the right direction."
"Unfortunately, there are a lot of Patricia Spottedcrows in the state that many do not know about - where people have been incarcerated when there are better alternatives to treat them," Welch said.
===
HOW YOU CAN HELP: Send a Letter to the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
1. Begin Writing Letters NOW to the Parole Board. Sample:
Dear Sir/Madam:
I am writing to you on behalf of Patricia Spottedcrow,ODOC #622641 whose case is up for review on your April 2012 docket.
Ms. Spottedcrow's extremely harsh sentence did not fit the crime. She had no prior record or arrests and threw herself upon the mercy of the court, where in the court had none. Please consider the fact that Ms. Spottedcrow has made some significant positive changes in her life. Also know that she has a strong support system in the community, in Oklahoma and around the world. This case was a travesty of justice to say the least, and I hope you will do the right thing and approve Ms. Spottedcrow's parole. Set her free.
Thank you.
YOUR NAME, etc.
• You must show a valid return address on the front of the envelope. • You must write on the back: Patricia Spottedcrow, #622641, April 2012.
To: Ms. Lynnelle Harkins P.O. Box 7206 Moore, OK 73153-1206
Mr. Richard L. Dugger P.O. Box 21748 Oklahoma City, OK 73156
Mr. Currie Ballard P.O. Box 839 Langston, OK 73050-0839
Mr. David Moore P.O. Box 8395 Edmond, OK 73083
Dr. Marc Dreyer 2800 S. Yale Avenue Tulsa, OK 74114
2. If you are in the area and/or can possibly make it, plan to stand in solidarity with Patricia on the date of her hearing. "She in on the April docket but we don't have a specific date and time yet," posts the Parole for Spottedcrow! event on Facebook. "When it is set we will plan accordingly."
shes pretty here, not so much in the mug shot. makeup is power full shit.
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[quote]KristiMidocean said: Good now thats clear.WHO FUCKING CARES. If I am fat u all keep pointing it out like its suppose to be a secret.LIke u really have nothing better to do then make fat jokes. If o know its like I do I know yall can come up with NEW AND BETTER SHIT . This shit is old and boring . I left in the first place cause this shit got boring not because of the fat jokes . Fat jokes dont bother me but seriously its old[/quote]
Wow...THAT'S what you took away from this update?????????
I am hoping and praying with all my heart this lady gets out of jail and back to her children, family, job, and community.
N.B.
-------------------- All submitted posts under this user name are works of pure fiction or outright lies. Any information, statement, or assertion contained therein should be considered pure unadulterated bullshit. Note well: Sorry, but I do not answer PM's unless you are a long-time trusted friend. If you have a question, ask it in the appropriate thread.