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Published Tue, Jan 25, 2011 02:00 AM
Modified Mon, Jan 24, 2011 06:33 PM

Justice in drug case

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Tags: news | opinion - mailbag

Regarding your Jan. 13 article about Paula Harrison's conviction and sentencing on drug charges:

I applaud Assistant District Attorney Arden Harris, defense counsel and state Rep. Leo Daughtry and Johnston County Superior Court Judge Knox Jenkins Jr. for their work on this case to reach a reasonable sentence.

Paula Harrison [daughter of Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison] does not belong in jail. She needs help, wherever that may come from. But few of us want to pay $30,000 to $40,000 a year to imprison her.

Now, if district attorneys, defense attorneys and judges around the state could take note and use the Prayer for Judgment Continued in similar cases, perhaps the state could save some money by not stuffing our prisons with nonviolent drug users. And maybe family, friends, churches, the community at large (and whatever publicly funded addiction counseling agencies that are left after the coming budget cuts) could step in to help Harrison and others like her

John Sauls

Raleigh

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