Tuesday, March 01, 2011

"Justice" for Oklahoma Marijuana-Selling Mom


Patricia Spottedcrow arriving in prison, Photo from Tulsa World.

Ginnie Graham of the Tulsa World has three stories about Patricia Spottedcrow, a 25 year old mother of four, who just started a ten year prison sentence in December. Last year she sold $11 worth of marijuana. In that transaction, her 9 year old son fetched some dollar bills to make change. Then she sold $20 worth of marijuana.

This is the story of her case, the story of her arrival in prison, and the story about the impact of her incarceration on her children.

How does a ten year prison sentence make sense? Is this because she hurt her children by letting them witness or participate in the marijuana sale? That is hurt them more than locking up their mother for the next ten years? Is this because selling marijuana is such a heinous offense? Is this because she is such a big dealer? Is this necessary to finally, at long last, to stop the sale of marijuana in Oklahoma?

Or is there any other point other than she is a woman of color, in a common law marriage? Perhaps she is being punished because she has four children.

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