Sentence reduced for first offense of selling marijuana in Oklahoma (Video)

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Patricia Spottedcrow, 26 and mother of 3, gets 4 years knocked off 12 year sentence for selling $31 worth of marijuana in God’s country

patricia spottedcrow

Patricia Spottedcrow, a young mother of three, was sentenced to 12 years hard time for the first offense of selling $31 worth of marijuana to an undercover police officer in the Western Oklahoma county of Kingfisher. Though a hearing was set to modify her sentence by Spottedcrow’s new attorney, the new judge presiding over the case issued an order in advance and cancelled the hearing.  The Tulsa World reports:

A Kingfisher County judge took four years off a 12-year prison sentence for a first-time offender who sold $31 worth of marijuana to an informant.

In an order issued Friday, Associate District Judge Robert Davis decided to modify the sentence of Patricia M. Spottedcrow, stating she has accomplished more in prison than in the community.

Spottedcrow, 26, received the sentence last October after selling the marijuana to a police informant in December 2009 and January 2010. Her mother, Delita Starr, 51, was also charged.

In blind guilty pleas before a judge, Spottedcrow received prison time and her mother received 30-year suspended sentence. Neither had prior criminal convictions.

Oklahoma City attorney Josh Welch, who represents Spottedcrow, said the punishment does not fit the crime.

“We are pleased Judge Davis recognized her sentence needed to be modified, but we are simply not pleased with the amount of time that was modified,” Welch said. “I don’t walk away from this feeling good even with four years knocked down, and I’m not going to give up until she is released.”

“I have a fundamental difference with the judge’s belief that [sentencing Judge, Pritchett] initial sentence was correct or exhibited wisdom,” Welch said. “I don’t believe in incarcerating people the state can help. Here you have a young mother, who had her first child at 16, and made a stupid decision. The state should have stepped in to help rather than send her to prison for a lengthy sentence.

“We incarcerate people because we sometimes think it’s better to be tough on crime and play to constituents rather than think logically about what’s best not only for the defendant but for the state of Oklahoma.”

[Welch] plans to file an application for post-conviction relief on grounds of ineffective counsel.

“It’s easy for people to be hard on criminals, and sometimes that’s not the smart decision,” Welch said. “Even if all those things in the order were true, I still disagree that 12 years or eight years is appropriate. There are ways to tell a person this type of lifestyle will not be tolerated, but at the same time not perpetuate the problem by putting them in prison for a first offense.”

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Collin Hinds

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H.Strawberry
12 years ago

I am watching this from Germany and I must say wtf is going on there???

12 years ago

Just Browsing…

Then I came across this site while surfing around online yesterday…

Christine
12 years ago

Tara Nesta Rea,

You are absolutely right, it is NOT about the money! The first thing I seen was that this young mother of four is a native Indian and that this is a GREAT injustice! My reason for putting it out there about the cost is that those people with the power and their supporters could give two SH$ts about injustice and loving one another. But I can tell what does catch their attention… M-O-N-E-Y!!! Sad but unfortunately true. So if this is going to get out into the media which is what will set this young mother free, it is letting the country know that this IS affecting their wallets. I am a liberal at heart and I love everyone, I am also aware of what catches the media’s attention and like I said it’s not love. (=

Tara Nesta Rea
12 years ago

It’s not about the MONEY but the injustice and being ignored by media which, is supposed to inform the world. The common sense of the governments are long gone with the birth of institutions. Institutions cannot celebrate culture. Obviously Spottedcrow has HEART, beyond her physical beauty–Inner strength needs support, this fight is larger than we know it shows the deep systemic weed in the Shit-Stem, that needs to be pulled.
These days, some justice needs MONAY to ‘kill’ the belly of the beast. The LION protects the LAMB. This needs militant LOVE. If one depends on the plant Ganja for medicine or life regardless of teh morals of the governing society, it is the very basis of how the people have the powah. But this ignorance of larger governing forces are imposing a forced will that is affecting the immunity of this OHANA. ONE LOVE.
Corn, it’s all about the CORN!

12 years ago

She`s a Native American, so in the eyes of the law she has no rights.

Christine
12 years ago

WOW!!! It is costing like $240,000 to house this woman for this harsh 8 year sentence!!! Unbelievably ridiculous and extremely unfair! Let the punishment fit the crime Oklahoma!!! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves!!! I am praying for her and her family! What prison is she in, does anyone know? I would like to show my support in this matter.

jessica
12 years ago

This original jail sentence of 12 years for selling 31 dollars worth of marijuana is ridiculous. She made a mistake. Now how many of us can relate to making a mistake? Now granted she broke the law and deserves to go to jail but the sentence should fit the crime! It costs upwards of 40 k to house an inmate and where are her kids are they in foster care how much is that costing the state/tax payers? Too much money, too much heart ahc for those poor kids!!!

Hoodie Ninja
12 years ago

Funny how Casey Anthony can kill her kid and get away with it, then this native get this for just trying to make a living.
In a world where a person’s own country won’t help the people, you better believe they will help themselves.
And as for “god’s country”.
Read Genesis 1:29 “Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”.
I rest my case.
I’m no Christian and even I know this.

Tara Nesta Rea
12 years ago

Some anonymous computer genius needs to make a website to help with the legal fund and feeding, well-care of these children. the system must be fought with LOVE. A classy website with a secure connection so, the money actually is relevant.

Sick of hater hags
12 years ago

This is an outrage. I wouldn’t be surprised if that hag of judge sentenced her because Patrica is so gorgeous. Never underestimate the bitterness of an ugly wench. Is there some way I can get involved with petitioning her immediate release? Taking off four years is not enough. She needs to be sent back home to her children like yesterday!!!

John Goonan
12 years ago

We wonder why government can not make ends meet. How much is it going to cost to keep her locked up? How much in other services is it going to cost to help her kids? Insanity. I hope the wake up. First offense.
Lindsay Lohan steals a $1,000 necklace and get community service and her ASS kissed. i AM GOING TO SUPPORT WHO EVER RUNS AGAINST THIS JUDGE IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

Regina Annells
12 years ago

Wow, how unreal is this??? A bad choice on part of the young woman for sure, but come on …. the sentence was only about 100 times too severe for the offense. When I first read the headline I thought she must be a repeat offender who had violated probation or something. Someone needs to get a petition going to the Govenor of this state to step in and do what is right … even a year in jail for such an offense is too much. This woman needs to be released and sent home to take care of her children. What a waste of tax payer dollars to say the least.

Jam
12 years ago

Seriously? I wonder if the gal that stole five horses tied them to a tree and helped to kill and dismember one of them-commited arson & insurance fraud will get a bigger sentence? This girl has kids to raise-sitting in jail does no one a bit of good. She should be home with her kids. Go after the BIG criminals instead of a Mom. Our tax dollars at work instead of helping her lets just throw her in jail. Shame on Oklahoma.

sue oneill
12 years ago

I wonder what the sentence wouldve been for a white middle class college student ..its a disgrace , three children have lost their mum because of a tiny amount of weed

Christine
Reply to  sue oneill
12 years ago

That was exactly the point I was gonna make Sue!! We all know the harsh reality of this hierarchy and this is the end result!! So horribly sad! I will be praying for her and her family! Does anyone know where Ms. Spottedcrow is serving this ridiculous sentence at? I would like to show my support (=

sue oneill
12 years ago

I wonder what the sentence wouldve been for a white middle class college student ..its a disgrace , three children have lost their mum for a tiny amount of weed

iwritemynamehere
12 years ago

This is only the bare tip of the matter: the “god” states have taken extreme radical steps to make “examples” of people of what they will / won’t tolerate and they tear up the constitution and common sense in doing so. I live in Kansas – and the local media and law enforcement in all forms are destructive in this way. FEAR FEAR FEAR – no common sense at all. I can’t tell if it is a reaction to Obama, or the legalization of marijuana in parts of this country (as for them to make a clear demonstration as to “not to come around here” with that) They don’t care about medical cards, they don’t care about the expense, they don’t care about first offenses. SERIOUSLY, – HELP!!! I grew up here, but – I moved around the US for many years, when i came back i have had no criminal record myself: but now, everyone i know is in jail, on paper, and i get harassed by the police NONSTOP. They only use to break in to people’s places who sold drugs (and did for a long time) now they get SWAT search warrants for for people with nothing more than pipes and small bags of weed. again, – HELP.

12 years ago

[…] stired, I don't mind adding to the odor. First of all, today her sentence was reduced to 8 years. Patricia Spottedcrow sentence barely reduced for first offense of selling $31 worth of marijuana (Vi… She's already served a year (making this kinda old news), so likely she'll be released in another 6 […]

Anonymous
12 years ago

This is flat out fukin ridiculous!!! the judge should be put in jail for giving her this sentence!!!

Aladdin
12 years ago

wow, she gets an outrageous 8 years in prison and the people responsible for our economic crash (who probably are the reason she is selling pot in the first place )get bonuses .. man where is our common sense ?

12 years ago

Thanks for the update Collin, even though I wish Patricia had been released.

…she has accomplished more in prison than in the community. Since he’s never been a single mother, that statement alone convicts him of his ignorance. Do I detect a soupcon of bigotry and chauvanism here?

Bravo to Welch for his comment: The state should have stepped in to help rather than send her to prison for a lengthy sentence.

Prohibition didn’t work in the ’20s. It won’t work now.

Admin
12 years ago

Knocking 4 years off the sentence doesn’t help much. The fact is 8 years in prison for selling pot is an outrage. Our ridiculous drug laws are reminiscent of prohibition. If you make things people want illegal they will want them even more.

Dwelb Fwibben
Reply to  Professor Mike
11 years ago

Many prisons are now “privatized” and are run by non-governmental entities (companies) as for-profit businesses. The basic contract that most of these companies have with the governmental bodies with whom they work states that (in order to make it a tenable business) the government agrees to keep 90% or better occupancy. How do you keep high occupancy and assure these companies that they can operate profitably at 90% or better occupancy? Easy. Bust potheads.

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