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Newsbrief:
California
Woman
Gets
Life
for
Meth
Baby
Death
11/7/03
A Riverside, California,
woman was sentenced to life in prison October 30 for killing her infant
son by allowing him to ingest a fatal dose of methamphetamine, possibly
from her breast milk. Amy Leanne Prien was convicted of second-degree
murder and felony child endangerment in the death of her 3-month-old son
in January 2002. Jacob Wesley Smith was found dead in his mother's
bed.
Riverside County prosecutor
Grover Trask told the Los Angeles Times he sought the harsh sentence for
Prien, who is a mother of four, to deter other drug users and to change
the county's reputation as a "meth capital." Sending Prien to prison
would also protect her other children, the prosecutor said.
Defense attorney Stephen
Yagman vowed to appeal the conviction. Yagman argued that she was
convicted in error because of faulty sentencing instructions from the judge.
The judge in the case told jurors that child endangerment could be considered
an inherently dangerous crime, thus opening Prien up for the murder charge.
If appeals fail, Prien must wait 15 years for a first shot at parole.
-- END --
|
Issue #310, 11/7/03
DRCNet Video Review: "BUSTED: The Citizens' Guide to Surviving Police Encounters" |
BUSTED: Special Video Offer for DRCNet Members |
Pain Doctor Acquitted in Virginia -- Feds Fail to Win Single Count |
Drug Policy Alliance National Conference Underway in New Jersey -- State Ripped for Leading Nation in Drug-Incarceration Rate |
Newsbrief: NJ Supreme Court Just Says No to Vehicle Searches Where a Former Passenger Had Drugs |
Newsbrief: A Friend of Reform Forced Out -- Detroit Police Chief Jerry Oliver Resigns |
Newsbrief: China Bans Song for Opium Lyrics |
Newsbrief: California Woman Gets Life for Meth Baby Death |
Newsbrief: Amnesty International Calls on Thai Government to Name Those Killed in Drug War |
This Week in History |
DRCNet Temporarily Suspending Our Web-Based Write-to-Congress Service Due to Funding Shortfalls -- Your Help Can Bring It Back -- Keep Contacting Congress in the Meantime |
Perry Fund Accepting Applications for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 School Years, Providing Scholarships for Students Losing Aid Because of Drug Convictions |
The Reformer's Calendar
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