Patricia Maxine Turner appeared for sentencing in District Court on Tuesday, May 18. She previously entered a guilty plea on charges of being a Principle to the Crime of Robbery, a Category B Felony punishable by 2-15 years in prison, and Possession of Stolen Property, a Category B Felony, punishable by 1-10 years in prison.
ADA Chelsea Sanford stated that Turner committed the crime with an unknown accomplice. Turner claimed that she was so intoxicated during the act that she cannot recall any details of the crime or who she was with at the time. According to the charges, she and the accomplice were driving in the Walmart parking lot around 9:00 p.m. and saw a woman trying to return her cart. The accomplice confronted the victim, and forcefully tried to snatch her purse. When the victim tried to fight back because her purse contained her monthly supply of insulin, the accomplice pulled out a gun and asked the victim, “Do you want some of this?” The accomplice then went back to the car where Turner was waiting. Turner then drove away with the accomplice and the victim’s purse.
The following day, law enforcement located Turner’s vehicle, where officers found a cache of stolen property and the contents of the victim’s purse. Turner claimed that this was a random act of violence. ADA Sanford refuted the statement as she believes that Turner and her accomplice identified the victim as a lone female in a darkened parking lot and decided to attack her.
Turner asked for probation and stated that she has no prior criminal history and is a new mom with a four-month-old child, who was present in the courtroom.
The victim was present at the sentencing and addressed the court during Victim Impact testimony, stating that Turner has forever changed her life and she is so disappointed that a woman would take responsibility for a man that she refuses to identify. She is suffering from fear that anyone approaching her will harm her. The victim also said, “Turner is wholly heartless for bringing the baby into the courtroom – that she is trying to garner sympathy to reduce her sentence.” She asked the court to issue Turner a lengthy sentence and said she hopes serving time in prison will allow Turner the chance to focus on being a mother rather than protecting a man by refusing to cooperate with authorities and identify him.
CCPD Wright Noel, defense counsel for Turner, stated that his client was highly intoxicated during the commission of the crime, and she recognizes that alcohol has become a problem for her in her life. Noel asked that she be granted the opportunity for Drug Court.
Turner addressed Judge Stockard, stating, “I know that being intoxicated was not a good reason for my actions and I understand I committed that crime. I have to face the consequences even if I don’t want to.”
Stockard sentenced Turner to 48-180 months in prison on count one and 12-32 months in prison on count two, with the sentences to run concurrently. Turner was remanded to the custody of the sheriff's department for the imposition of the sentences imposed.
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