February 23, 2011 10:02 AM

Oklahoma mother gets 10 years for $31 marijuana sale

By
Edecio Martinez
Topics
Daily Blotter

Oklahoma mother gets 10 years over $31 marijuana sale

Patricia Spottedcrow

(Credit: Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections)

(CBS) - A $31 marijuana sale has landed 25-year-old Oklahoma mother of four Patricia Spottedcrow and a grandmother 10 years in prison.

Police say Spottedcrow and her 50-year-old mother Delita Starr sold $11 worth of pot to an undercover cop at her home in 2009 on New Year's Eve, according to The Oklahoman. Two weeks later, the cop came back and bought $20 worth of marijuana.

Both women were arrested and charged with drug distribution. And since Spottedcrow's children were present in the home during the drug deal, the pair was also charged with possession of a dangerous substance in the presence of a minor, according to the paper.

The Oklahoman reports that prosecutors tried to cut a deal, but both women decided to plead guilty and take their chances with the judge, since they had no prior convictions.

But the judge threw the book at them and sentenced them to 10 years in prison.

Spottedcrow was also charged another two years for possession after police found marijuana in her jacket pocket when she was picked up to go to prison.

Spottedcrow began her sentence on Dec. 29, 2010.


Add a Comment See all 96 Comments
by ncrdbl1 November 26, 2011 5:34 PM EST
I would have given her MORE time. This isn't about $31 worth of pot. It is about not only placing your kids in danger but getting them INVOLVED in drug sales. Has anyone ever lived in a community where drug sales are common? Not a week goes by when there is not gunfire over a drug sale related dispute. She purposely decided to place her kids in danger by getting involved in a violence oriented illegal business. DO NOT feel sorry for this woman. Do not morn for her because she is away from her kids. If anything it is the best thing that could happen to these kids.
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by mypointofview4u January 26, 2012 8:10 AM EST
As i sit here i try to understand how you live with your self with core beliefs without compassion like this. i would agree if this were crack cocaine or meth, ect...... come on this marijuana for god's sake i pray this never happens to anyone in your family or friends, neighbors, ect... my my lord and savor be with you. i'll keep you and Patricias family's in my heart and prays.
by GentileDog May 1, 2011 12:14 AM EDT
And I thought Georgia was a Nazi state.
Reply to this comment
by trickJames April 30, 2011 11:23 PM EDT
As a former Tulsan who now lives in Colorado, I can say with all honesty that the grass is truly greener up here. Pot is for the most part legalized in this state. Anyone who wants it can go to any number of doctors and get signed up for the states medical marijuana program.
We have not had any of the "Reefer Madness" ills that were promised by politicians, and the anti-pot groups. In fact I would have to say that most of the people I here seem rather friendly, mellow, considerate, and productive members of society.
What we did see is a much needed bump in our states economy during the recession, and a lot of new jobs created and a lot of other industries that got money for servicing this new industry. Oklahoma is a frightfully conservative state. That was the main reason we left. I doubt that legalization will happen there in my lifetime.
I feel for this young woman's family, and I pray that she gets an early release. Apparently the Conservative Christians of Oklahoma have forgotten that Jesus preached compassion and that marijuana is a creation of God, put here for all to use as they see fit.
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by HardyMacia April 30, 2011 10:54 AM EDT
This is our failed war on drugs. Presidential candidate Gary Johnson wants to end this insanity. He'll pardon Delita Starr and Patricia Spottedcrow if he is elected President. Find out more http://www.GaryJohnson2012.com
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by beberba March 31, 2011 10:48 AM EDT
Take me. I'll sacrifice myself! I don't have any kids and I've had a couple of pot-related run-ins with cops and I always GOT AWAY WITH IT because I'm CONVENTIONALLY ATTRACTIVE and I'M WHITE. Take me.
Reply to this comment
by rhinotf March 9, 2011 7:05 PM EST
This shows how stupid people are in law enforcement and our courts.

At 30,000 a year to house, feed, etc etc for 1 year in jail...no wonder the idiots running these states are going broke.
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by jok2011 March 2, 2011 8:17 PM EST
We've established a FB page for Patricia. Please help us raise awareness about her case. She has a new attorney. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spottedcrow/204396939572822
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by DianeDeBaun February 27, 2011 2:23 PM EST
http://oklahomawatch.org/story.php?sid=28 This has more details on Patricia Spottedcrows story. Hopefully she will be eligible for parole in a year at least. Still unfair and with huge fines in my opinion. Marijuana has been stigmatized and cant seem to shake it. Needs some mainstreet P.R. which could only happen scientifically. Hopefully in the future. Still it is a money maker for the lawyers, state, prison, police, etc.So there is the catch, that which make money as the root of all evil. (Although money doesnt have to be at all times!)
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by tauleonardo February 26, 2011 8:36 AM EST
This shocking prohibitionist brutality can be compared only to what you would expect in the Soviet Union or in Nazi Germany! This is absolutely disgraceful! Now they are going to try to resort to open censorship! What a disgrace! When we advocate against Cannabis prohibition, we must stress not just the "denial of good" which it entails, such as the remarkable medicinal properties of the plant, its violence-suppressing potential, or its ability to induce calm and relaxed state which is "worlds apart" from the effects of alcohol and many "legal" prescription drugs. Cannabis Prohibition is an unadulterated evil, as it pushes the people to engage in a dangerous substance use, such as the stories with alcoholic caffeinated drinks just explicitly demonstrated. The cruelty and senselessness of the prohibitionists have also been made obvious recently, when an Oklahoma mom received 10-year sentence for $31worth of Cannabis, when the medicinal Cannabis providers and patients continue to be raided and harassed. What more evidence of political piracy can be presented than when the dogmatic "politicos" want to directly trample the Will of Montana voters with respect to Medicinal Cannabis, which Citizens lawfully enacted in their state, or when Las Vegas police and DEA continue to harass the Medicinal Cannabis establishments? To what level of hypocrisy and spiritual degradation can one descend when the medicinal Cannabis patients are persecuted in the city where alcohol abuse and compulsive gambling are rampant?! My only hope in the midst of all this prohibitionist outrage is that its collapse is philosophically inevitable. In particular, when the DEA and its allies blackmail politicians into voting against Medicinal Cannabis, they do so on the basis of an unreal "entity", the so-called "gateway drug" theory that is fully discredited by now as "half-baked"! How can our so-called "representatives" put important social programs on a "chopping block" because of the "budget crisis", while these same people waste tens of millions of dollars on the so-called "marijuana enforcement", opposed by most of this country's voters! The Cannabis prohibitionists are guilty of crimes against humanity, and they will be called to answer for them sooner or later!
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by oklahomaWatch February 26, 2011 4:51 PM EST
This story was originally published as part of an investigative series on women in prison in Oklahoma. To read more, visit www.oklahomawatch.org
by scorpioss February 25, 2011 4:40 PM EST
This is personally for "AVIGNONMIMI", whoever the hell this is ! Wake up
stupid! the the commys' just landed in Oklahoma, how far away are you??
If you believe this "judge"? was right, I hope you get nailed in Oklahoma and suffer the same extemes Patricia Spottedcrow did! Then tell us what you think!! Patricia is more American than you or myself,
get a grip!!!
Reply to this comment
by dgmeansit February 25, 2011 6:41 PM EST
I think that maybe AvignonMimi just might be the Judge who did the sentencing! That would explain the total arrogance and ignorance associated with his/her comments! Another possibility is that it is just some immature brat taking pleasure out of upsetting people...
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