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veggie

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,504
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Man turns down plea deal for 2 years - gets 20 [KY]
#4986747 - 11/27/05 03:22 PM (18 years, 2 months ago) |
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Man gets 20 years in prison November 27, 2005 - cknj.com
After turning down a prosecutor's plea agreement offer of a two-year sentence, a Campbellsville man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on drug and other charges.
In October, a jury found Keith A. Owens, 37, of 1992 Roberts Road guilty of first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of less than eight ounces of marijuana and being a first-degree persistent felony offender.
Taylor Circuit Court Judge Doughlas M. George presided. Owens appeared before George on Tuesday, Nov. 22 for formal sentencing.
In October, the jury recommended Owens be sentenced to 20 years in prison and pay a $500 fine.
According to court records, the charges stemmed from a traffic stop last September. Records state Owens was a passenger in a car driven by Chris Thornton. After Owens was searched, he was arrested for having marijuana and five suspected ecstasy pills.
In August, Owens turned down a plea agreement offer made by the Commonwealth Attorney's office to serve three years in prison. On Oct. 25, a week before his trial was scheduled to begin, Owens declined another offer of two years in prison.
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney John Bertram prosecuted the case. Owens was represented by Jonathan R. Spalding of Lebanon.
According to Bertram, the offer of two years in prison, to be served after Owens completed a revoked sentence, was made in the hope that Owens would admit his guilt and receive appropriate punishment.
Bertram said the jurors were not told Owens had been convicted of previous crimes until after they found him guilty.
According to court records, Owens had previously been convicted of first-degree fleeing or evading police, second-degree escape, criminal facilitation to participate in a criminal syndicate and theft by unlawful taking more than $300 as well as other charges.
Bertram said the jury knew Owens would be eligible for parole after he served 20 percent - or four years - of the recommended 20-year sentence. However, he said, it was acknowledged that parole would likely not be granted, in light of his criminal record.
Owens' sentence is to be served after he completes a sentence he is currently serving. He was given credit for 26 days he has already served.
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sander
learning

Registered: 10/04/04
Posts: 394
Loc: MA and IA
Last seen: 13 years, 9 months
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Re: Man turns down plea deal for 2 years - gets 20 years [KY] [Re: veggie]
#4986887 - 11/27/05 04:09 PM (18 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
veggie said: the jury recommended Owens be sentenced to 20 years in prison and pay a $500 fine.... Bertram said the jurors were not told Owens had been convicted of previous crimes until after they found him guilty.
Wow, I am not pretending I was in the courtroom but I can not imagine a situation where anyone would deem that 20 years is appropriate for a first time marijuana offender
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Ramlaen
Pysconaut


Registered: 11/06/04
Posts: 638
Last seen: 13 years, 1 month
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Re: Man turns down plea deal for 2 years - gets 20 years [KY] [Re: sander]
#4986933 - 11/27/05 04:25 PM (18 years, 2 months ago) |
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yea man 20 years in jail for some weed wtf!
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Ekstaza
stranger than most


Registered: 04/10/03
Posts: 4,324
Loc: Around the corner
Last seen: 10 months, 10 days
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Re: Man turns down plea deal for 2 years - gets 20 years [KY] [Re: sander]
#4986935 - 11/27/05 04:26 PM (18 years, 2 months ago) |
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It may have been his first time gettinmg caught with weed, but it wasn't his first brush with the law. It seems to me that he was a career criminal.
Even still, 20 years is a long time for weed.
-------------------- YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH ANY GIVEN DRUG ISN'T THE DEFINITIVE MEASURE OF THE DRUGS EFFECTS.
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phi1618
old hand

Registered: 02/14/04
Posts: 4,102
Last seen: 13 years, 9 months
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Re: Man turns down plea deal for 2 years - gets 20 years [KY] [Re: Ekstaza]
#4988004 - 11/27/05 09:57 PM (18 years, 2 months ago) |
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20 years for less than 8 oz. That's a long time for small time shit.
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Hans_Moleman
????

Registered: 04/06/03
Posts: 3,676
Loc: Canadia
Last seen: 16 years, 4 months
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Re: Man turns down plea deal for 2 years - gets 20 years [KY] [Re: phi1618]
#4992592 - 11/29/05 12:18 AM (18 years, 2 months ago) |
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that's retarded.....
something needs to change!!
-------------------- One of the reasons marijuana is illegal today because growers in the 30s lobbied against hemp farmers -- they saw it as competition, because It is not chemically addictive as is nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine.
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