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November 17, 2009 in News
Judge lets drug dealer out of jail for Thanksgiving
Apparently even the federal government is feeling generous this time of year.
A Spokane-area drug dealer who has failed to show up for court 75 times and is awaiting sentencing on his latest cocaine conviction will be allowed to leave the Spokane County Jail next week to spend Thanksgiving dinner with his family.
Two law enforcement officers must be with Terrence A. “T-Baby” Kinard, 52, for the five-hour jail furlough next week.
His family - not the government - is required to pay for the escorting officers, U.S Magistrate Judge Cynthia Imbrogno ruled Tuesday.
While jail furloughs for medical procedures or family funerals are fairly common, jail officials said Tuesday, furloughs for holiday dinners are highly unusual.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard of something like this happening,” said Spokane County Jail Lt. Jay Hughes. “It’s definitely a security risk. There’s always the chance that they don’t come back.”
Kinard, whose criminal record includes a conviction for escape, has been in jail since he bought about 30 grams of crack cocaine for $950 from an undercover DEA agent on Nov. 25, 2008. Kinard had earlier agreed to buy 9 ounces of the drug from a confidential informant working with the dederal agents, according to court documents.
He pleaded guilty to a federal charge of possession of more than 5 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 8. A plea agreement calls for him to serve 80 months in prison.
Kinard works in the jail kitchen and was described as “a model inmate” by his defense lawyer, Kim Deater, during a U.S. District Court hearing on Monday.
Kinard’s family attended the hearing, in which Deater asked that her client be released from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 to spend the holiday with his “tight-knit large family.” Kinard is worried it may be his last chance to spend a holiday with his 80-year-old mother, Deater said.
“He doesn’t really have anywhere to flee to,” Deater said. “All his ties are in Spokane.”
The U.S Attorney’s Office did not object to Kinard’s release, but the federal probation office did.
Deater’s proposal called for Kinard to wear an electronic monitoring device, which Assistant U.S Attorney Aine Ahmed said would address Kinard’s history of skipping court.
Imbrogno’s order, however, doesn’t require electronic monitoring because two armed law enforcement officers will be alongside him at all times. Kinard will essentially remain in custody during the dinner, said Assistant U.S Attorney Tom Rice.
Kinard has more than a dozen drug convictions and at least six convictions for driving on a suspended license. He was sentenced to 29 months in prison in 2006 on car theft and drug charges.
He’s also been convicted of possession of drug paraphernalia, refusing to cooperate with police and escape, according to the fugitive-apprehension organization Crime Stoppers.
The organization offered a reward for information leading to Kinard’s capture in January 2008 on a probation violation.
His 75 failures to appear for court hearings and lengthy criminal history prompted the judge to delay her ruling for a day. The request was made Monday but Imbrogno’s decision was issued Tuesday.
“I don’t know that I’ve had a case that had more than that,” Imbrogno said of the number of mandatory court appearances skipped by a defendant.
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SniperCraig on November 17 at 9:57 p.m.
Give him enough rope and he will hang himself. In this case, he is going to flee and get himself shot, (Hopefully killed!) Smart move by the judge. Getting his family to pay for the execution is the cat’s pajamas!
empyrius on November 17 at 10:41 p.m.
You are hoping somebody gets killed SniperCraig? Wow. Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
soundbarrier on November 17 at 11:01 p.m.
I hope they get payment up front. It wouldn’t surprise me if after the furlough, the family ignores the bill. Then the taxpayer gets stuck paying for this. If the family doesn’t pay, the attorney who requested it should pay. But the bigger question is: Why are they trusting a guy who did not show up for court 75 previous times? Why make an exception to provide two law enforcement officers? If he wants to see his mom, she should visit him in jail. Why does this judge think this is a sane thing to do?
Radbooks on November 17 at 11:10 p.m.
No matter who pays for the officer’s time - and at least it is the family - it still takes those officers away from their own families for the holiday! I imagine that they would prefer to be at home that day enjoying time with their mothers, kids, wives, etc., and not spending the day with this criminal and his family!! What an absolute joke…
rterrylynch on November 18 at 12:03 a.m.
Why is it important to accomodate this criminal? If you do the crime - you should have to do the time. He knows right from wrong or he wouldn’t skip 75 times. The problem is the Judge doesn’t understand right from wrong. It is wrong to accomodate this felon.
It’s time to limit Judges terms.
cme on November 18 at 1:07 a.m.
i don’t see what the problem is. The cost of hiring an officer on holiday is huge. Officers JUMP at this offer, as it is big bucks on the next paycheck & the work for that day alone will pay for their Xmas shopping.
Of course this “fee” is paid up front. This guy ain’t going anywhere until the money is paid.
If it was me, in jail, i don’t think i could handle the embarrassment of officers escorting me to my family to eat a pound of turkey –even IF my family agreed to pay for all that, i’d say no.
One has to question the motive from this family.
Rifleman__Dodd on November 18 at 1:12 a.m.
What are they serving for dinner? Jail Bird or Stool Pigeon?
SugarShane on November 18 at 1:42 a.m.
To me it seems like everybody wins. The cops get bonus checks with the family picking up the tab. The guy is escorted by officers, so under more supervision then even in jail. An 80 year old woman gets to have her son at what could be her last Thanksgiving dinner, even though he is a screw up and an embarassment to the family. His whole family showed up at the request, and Id wager thats what would sway the mind of the judge to let it happen. The drug laws are biased anyways, look at the percentage of drug users by race compared to the rate of incarceration for drug law violation by race, hispanics and blacks take up the majority of jailed offenders, despite being in the minority of users.
Uptight_Spokanite on November 18 at 5:13 a.m.
LIke furloughing John Wayne Gacy to attend the circus.