Typical Monkey Behavior: SheBoon Sow trapped and caged after seventh DUI conviction

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid48&sid1957726&hl
UTAH COUNTY -- A Utah County woman will spend time in jail for her
conviction on a seventh DUI
charge.

Maryann Lassen's arrest history for drunk driving goes back to 1989, and yet
again she stood
before a judge Wednesday to be sentenced for driving under the influence.


In March of last year, Provo police arrested Lassen for DUI near Freedom
Boulevard -- right next
to the state liquor store. With her latest conviction, the woman faced up to
five years in prison
-- but a judge ruled today she'll serve just over 200 days in a county jail.


Prosecutors argued that the time had come for the woman to be locked up long
term. They asked
that Lassen be sent to the state prison.

But the Adult Probation and Parole board, the state agency that reviews a
defendant's background
before they are sentenced, recommended she serve 90 days in jail.

The board told KSL that figure came from the sentencing guideline matrix.
That's a chart that
scores offenders based on their criminal history going back 10 years.

But in the end, the judge gave Lassen just 210 days in jail with the option
of work release.

In Lassen's case, the board looked at her past treatment and how much time
has elapsed between
convictions. The board told KSL if one of her 's past convictions had
involved an accident, loss
of life or high blood alcohol content, their recommendation would have been
more severe.

Lassen's 21-year record includes two convictions in 1994, two more in 1997,
another in 2003 and
the latest last year. This marks her seventh DUI conviction.

"Six times she has stood before a judge in Utah County and asked that judge
for leniency, said
she was sorry and said it wouldn't happen again, and six times the judge
believed her." -Deputy
Utah County Attorney Craig Johnson"Six times she has stood before a judge in
Utah County and
asked that judge for leniency, said she was sorry and said it wouldn't
happen again, and six
times the judge believed her," said Deputy Utah County Attorney Craig
Johnson.

In March of last year, Provo police arrested Lassen for DUI near Freedom
Boulevard -- right next
to the state liquor store. A jury found her guilty in June.

"She got the same sentence six years ago and didn't learn her lesson,"
Johnson said. "We believe
in escalating sanctions in the county attorney's office, and certainly here
where she had the
same conduct she should have been sanctioned more severely."

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---