BRONCOS' Top Receiver's Mom, Grandma To Watch Game From Prison...

[Jesus Malverde]

Demaryius Thomas‘ mother and grandmother will cheer for the Broncos receiver around the prison TV Sunday, both wearing No. 88 jerseys they crafted with strips of tape.

The two women have never seen Thomas play in person. He was 11 when police burst through the door of their home in Montrose, Ga., and arrested both in 1999. Police allowed Katina Smith to walk her son and his two younger sisters to the school bus one last time.

Now she’s at a minimum-security prison in Florida, sentenced to 20 years. Her mother, Minnie Pearl Thomas, who had two previous drug convictions, received two life sentences with the possibility for parole after 40 years.

Smith could have gotten a lighter sentence by testifying against her mother, but she refused.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/01/30/demaryius-thomas-mom-grandma-have-to-root-from-prison/

[frazzled]

1. Geez

That's sad.

But the article didn't say what the grandmother did to get two life sentences. That's heavy. It can't be for drugs alone, can it? There must've been something else that happened in conjunction. (If not, she should definitely heed the president's call to apply for clemency.)

[Jesus Malverde]

2. Here is some more info on the court case.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/30/the-real-reason-demaryius-thomas-s-mom-is-still-behind-bars.html

[GeorgeGist]

5. Hope and Change

One simple way President Obama can act with bold independence is to pardon the mother of Denver Bronco Demaryius Thomas in time for the Super Bowl.

[Jesus Malverde]

7. It's interesting they started talking about sentencing reform before this case broke...nt

[frazzled]

9. Oh man, they should have taken the plea

rather than the heinous mandatory minimums.

I was once called to jury duty ... it was at a Superior Court (I believe) in Lawrence, MA. There were about 60 of us in the jury waiting room, and they told us that since there were only three courts, and two were already in session, we'd probably get to go home soon. There was just one courtroom available, and they were just waiting for an interpreter to come. So we wait and wait. And wait.

So the judge for the third court finally comes into the waiting room and explains to us that they need the interpeter, who has to be brought in from another court. It's a first-time drug offender who doesn't speak English, and he can't convince the guy to take the plea deal, and this judge does NOT want to have to throw a mandatory sentence at him. And he tells us that it's really important we're there, because he can get the interpreter to tell the guy that there are 60 people ready to serve on a jury out there, and it's a pretty open and shut case. So they want the interpreter to help explain that he should take the plea deal to avoid having to serve time--far more time than this judge thinks is wise for a first mistake.

So we wait and wait. And wait some more. And finally the judge comes back out. He's happy, and thanks us (hell, I was just reading a book). He didn't have to sentence the guy. Some judges are good.

On the other hand, this young lady is going to get the book thrown at her, methinks:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-01-30/business/chi-mcdonalds-worker-accuses-of-selling-heroin-through-drivethrough-20140130_1_heroin-drug-distribution-drive-thru

[Brickbat]

3. Fuck the drug war.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. 40 years

Jesus.

[Jesus Malverde]

6. If she was the personal banker to the sinaloa cartel she would get

a fine and no jail time.

[JNelson6563]

8. Sadly, you are entirely correct.

[Bragi]

10. That's what happens with a vengeance-based racial justice system

I am sad for everyone involved. And for America.