JURY SENTENCES SLATON WOMAN TO LIFE IN PRISON

A 37-year-old Slaton woman received a life prison term Friday for dealing
drugs.

A jury on Thursday convicted Jackie Thomas, also known as Jackie Perry, of
possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a first-degree
felony.

The same 12-member jury deliberated for 50 minutes Friday before agreeing
on the life sentence - the maximum for the offense.

Thomas faced a minimum of 15 years because of a prior felony drug- dealing
conviction.

Prosecutor George Leal said he was pleased with the sentence.

"It sends a message if you're dealing or distributing drugs, citizens of
the county are tired of that, and they will deal very harshly with that,"
he said.

Thomas was convicted based on evidence Lubbock police confiscated when they
searched her home March 19. They found scales, marijuana, drug
paraphernalia and 36 grams of methamphetamine, according to court testimony.

During prosecutor Chris Strowd's closing statement at the sentencing
hearing, Thomas cried and covered her face.

Strowd told the jury to consider two things for the punishment: the crime
and the criminal.

Strowd listed a series of events from Thomas' life during the last 10 years.

He said Thomas was given probation in 1991 for the same crime she was found
guilty of Thursday.

In 1996, she violated her probation by committing the same crime again and
was sentenced to three years in prison.

On May 1, 2000, Thomas was arrested for trading drugs for stolen property.

On Aug. 4, 2000, a search warrant was executed at a house in Lubbock, and
Thomas was there. Drugs were found in her purse.

On March 15, a police officer pulled over a car Thomas was in and found
drugs and needles in the car. A few days later, the search warrant was
executed at her home, and the drugs and paraphernalia were confiscated.

"The defendant has had opportunity after opportunity after opportunity,"
Strowd said. "She has come to the end of the road. Enough is enough."

Defense attorney Angela Trench asked the jury to give Thomas an
"opportunity to turn her life around for her family, for herself."

Trench said Thomas needed help to cure her addiction. She said, "No one
should be thrown in prison for addiction. She is not going to get help in
prison."

Leal told jury members during his closing statement that they could make a
stand against Thomas and other drug dealers.

"Don't you cry for her. Don't feel sorry for her," he said."Feel sorry for
the people who were burglarized.

"Stand up for citizens of this county. Stand up for yourselves," Leal said.
"Enough is enough. We will not tolerate it."