‘Probation officer’s nightmare’ goes to jail Raina S. Radford, last seen leaving a Fifth Circuit Courtroom July 24 because she didn’t want to wait for her day in court, returned this week to discover her legal future. It includes 60
‘Probation officer’s nightmare’ goes to jail
Raina S. Radford, last seen leaving a Fifth Circuit Courtroom July 24 because she didn’t want to wait for her day in court, returned this week to discover her legal future.
It includes 60 days in jail, but not the five-year sentence she could have gotten.
Radford, arrested last weekend on a bench warrant, was handcuffed and wearing orange coveralls for her court appearance Tuesday. She faced a revocation of her deferred acceptance plea on a trio of drug charges that dated back more than two years.
Radford, 27, hadn’t been complying with the conditions of her plea, missing meetings with her probation officer, among other things.
Her deferred acceptance required her to comply for a period of five years in order to have her criminal record expunged.
“I will make every effort possible to make amends. I am a law-abiding citizen and I value my freedom very much,” she told Judge Clifford Nakea.
But Kaua’i County deputy prosecutor Bryant Zane said Radford “needs to refocus her life, and it is apparent probation-type supervision is not enough.” He asked that Radford be sentenced to the entire five years hanging over her head.
Nakea didn’t agree.
“What’s happened is you’ve become a probation officer’s nightmare,” the judge told Radford. “You were given the deferred acceptance on the position that you follow certain conditions. You haven’t fulfilled the conditions.”
But, Nakea added, “I don’t think giving you five years is appropriate.” He then set aside the deferred acceptance, placed Radford on five year’s probation, and ordered her to serve 60 days in jail.
Radford was crying as she was led from the courtroom.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net
