10 years ago

Childress – On Wednesday, June 24, 2015, one contested hearing took place in Childress County, Texas.

Luke Inman, the District Attorney for the 100th Judicial District, prosecuted the case for the State of Texas with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.

Leah Denise Freeman pleaded not true to allegations listed in the State’s Motion to Adjudicate Guilt and a contested hearing ensued.

After the close of all the evidence, Freeman was sentenced to the maximum punishment allowable by law, which is 24 months in the State Jail Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the State Jail felony offense of possession of a controlled substance.

On Feb. 25, 2014, Freeman, 48, from Childress, originally pleaded guilty to offense that occurred on May 27, 2012, in Childress County. The case was investigated by Childress Police Sergeant Jerrald Johnson.

The State filed the motion on April 21, 2015, alleging 11 violations of community supervision.

The State called three witnesses during its case in chief, Marc Lattimer with the 100th Judicial District, Johnson, and Childress County Judge Jay Mayden.

It was found by Messer by the required burden of proof that Freeman had been arrested on three different occasions for new misdemeanor offenses. The arrests were for possession of contraband, public intoxication and criminal mischief, which were all made by Johnson.
Freeman had already pleaded guilty to Mayden for criminal trespass, which Freeman still denied at the hearing.

Some additional violations found by the court were failure to report, failure to pay, and failure to complete community service hours, even though Freeman stated she was unemployed for the 13 months she was on felony probation.

After hearing all the evidence, Messer sentenced Freeman to the maximum punishment, even though she pleaded true to most of the allegations contained in the State’s motion.

Freeman is also required to pay $390.50 in court costs to Childress County, restitution of $140, and a $500 fine.