Welcome to the Best of New Orleans! News Feature 11 27 01

NEWS FEATURE

11 27 01

Creative Sentencing in Baton Rouge

The following are excerpts of sentences handed down in the past year by the Criminal Sections of the 19th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish, as taken from public records.

Compiled By Katy Reckdahl

June 1, 2001 (Section IV Judge Bonnie Jackson): Shakenia Jones. Pleaded guilty to attempted felony theft. Court deferred sentence and placed the accused on bench probation for one year with special conditions: enroll in the military; remain arrest free; write a five-page essay on the consequences of her actions.

May 30, 2001 (Section III Judge Mike Erwin):Kip D. Washington, aggravated assault; illegal possession of stolen things. Pleaded guilty. Court placed Washington on unsupervised probation for six months with special conditions: stay in school; maintain employment; take gun safety course; write names of everyone you know who has been killed or is in jail because of guns.

May 21, 2001 (Section II Judge Richard Anderson): Shanta Evans, possession of marijuana. Pleaded guilty. Court suspended 90-day sentence and placed the accused on unsupervised probation for one year with special conditions: pay $150 to the Judicial Expense Fund; pay court costs in the amount of $99; refrain from all criminal conduct; enroll in culinary school.

April 18, 2001 (Section III Judge Mike Erwin): Carlos Gomez, felony theft. Pleaded guilty. Court deferred sentence and placed the accused on active, supervised probation for two years with special conditions: refrain from criminal conduct; pay $50 per month supervisory fee; $1,100 restitution; essay on "Why what I did was so stupid"; write 1,500 times "I will not steal other people's property."

Terry L. Patterson, Jason Buckley. Pleaded guilty to responsive charge of attempted possession of marijuana. Court sentenced the accused to three months in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison with credit for time served. Court suspended sentence and placed the accused on unsupervised probation for three months with special conditions: $50 fine and court costs; random drug screens every two weeks; write 1,000 times "I will not smoke marijuana again."

Feb. 15, 2001 (Section III Judge Mike Erwin): Carette Ellis, access device fraud. Pleaded guilty. Court deferred sentence and placed the accused on active, supervised probation for one year with special conditions: refrain from criminal conduct; obtain/maintain gainful employment; $292.47 restitution to Fuel Man; write 2,500 times "I will not steal other people's property."

Nov. 17, 2000 (Section II Judge Richard Anderson): Janice D. Robinson, theft of goods. Court suspended four-year sentence and placed Robinson on active, supervised probation for three years with special conditions: pay $600 to Judicial Expense Fund; pay court costs of $181.50; pay $50 per month supervisory fee; perform 100 hours community service; maintain full-time employment; wear no Tommy Hilfiger or Polo clothing during probation; and stand in front of Dillards with a sign stating "I will not shoplift anymore" for two weekends in a row, six hours per day. Robinson must notify Court and probation officer of dates she will be doing this.