| Place a Classified | Subscribe today | July 10, 2009 |
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Five strikes, not out
POCATELLO -- A local woman with five probation violations, four of them since April, was sentenced to a retained jurisdiction program despite strong recommendations from her probation officer that she could not longer supervise her.
Dawn M. Griffey, 26, was originally sentenced in 2005 for issuing bad checks and given probation. Her sentence was revoked after violating the terms of her probation and she was sent to the rider program for a 180 days to address her behaviors. Griffey successfully completed the program and was placed back on probation in May 2006. The state's most recent motion to revoke Griffey's probation, based upon five separate violations, clearly disappointed Sixth District Judge Peter D. McDermott. "I wish I could slap the hell out of you," McDermott said. "But I can't. You're back here again."
Prosecutor Vic Pearson and Griffey's probation officer strongly urged McDermott not to give the woman another chance at probation. "On June 16, the court said, 'This is your last chance,'" Pearson said. "Now she's back again."
McDermott pointed out that a recent mental evaluation of Griffey found she suffers from bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. The diagnoses failed to sway Griffey's probation officer, Julie Guiberson. "At some point, it becomes and excuse," Guiberson said. "It's time. She's had every opportunity. She's shown she cannot be supervised. At all."
McDermott thanked Guiberson for her recommendation, but decided to give Griffey one more chance. "I don't want you to throw a chair at me, but I'm going to retain jurisdiction again," he told Pearson and Guiberson.
"I think you're salvageable," he told Griffey. By John Bulger
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