Mom found guilty in teen's overdose

Houston Chronicle .com ^ | 8/30/03

[Libloather]

Mom found guilty in teen's overdose
Fort Worth Star Telegram
Aug. 30, 2003, 12:36AM

FORT WORTH -- A mother who used heroin with her 15-year-old daughter hours before the teen died of an overdose was convicted of manslaughter Friday.

It was the first time Tarrant County prosecutors won a conviction against a drug provider in the death of a person who overdosed on the drug.

"You don't do heroin with your children. Period," lead prosecutor Mitch Poe said in his final argument.

Jurors deliberated about an hour and 45 minutes before finding Debra Gatlin Clair guilty of recklessly causing the death of her adopted daughter, Tiffany Clair.

Clair, 49, buried her face in her hands when the verdict was read and, later, hugged her family and sobbed before she was taken into custody by sheriff's deputies. Clair had been free on bond pending the outcome of the case.

The punishment phase of her trial will begin Tuesday. She faces two to 20 years in prison, but is also eligible for probation because she has no previous felony convictions.

According to court testimony, Clair, Tiffany and a friend, Bradley Waltermire, shot up at Blair's Everman apartment May 3, 2001. Sometime later, authorities said, Waltermire went home but called Clair and asked her to come and get him because his girlfriend had thrown him out.

Clair told Waltermire she could not wake up Tiffany, who was asleep or passed out on the couch; she left anyway. When they returned, Tiffany was dead on the floor by the front door with the phone off the hook.

Defense attorney Jim Shaw argued the teen -- who had recently been released from a 30-day stay at a mental hospital for a suicide attempt and drug addiction -- was distressed over being raped by her mother's boyfriend and intentionally overdosed or was killed by the injection administered by Waltermire, who may have had sinister intentions.

Waltermire, 23, is the son of Debra Clair's ex-boyfriend, who Tiffany claimed raped her. He has been charged with manslaughter and is free on bail awaiting trial.

[Libloather]

...the teen -- who had recently been released from a 30-day stay at a mental hospital for a suicide attempt and drug addiction -- was distressed over being raped by her mother's boyfriend...

Sounds just like a 'Leave it to Beaver' episode...

[MEG33]

Sick,sick,sick,The poor girl never had a chance.

[xrp]

The mother should be charged with 1st degree murder and hanged.

[ChemistCat]

I'm with you.

Oh, we need not hang her. Lethal injection would be fine, or a firing squad--whatever is handy.

[Imal]

Looks like no "World's Greatest Mom" coffee mug for her this Christmas.

[friendly]

The Democratic National Committee is heartbroken. The mother can't vote democrat in jail. When she is released, they have full plans to get her back on the voting rolls ASAP.

[Savage Beast]

There is no rock-bottom to human depravity. When you think you have seen it, someone will surprise you again.

Sometimes it helps to repeat this mantra: There are more Todd Beamers than depraved sickos.

[Savage Beast]

Good point, Friendly. The Democrats would love to elect her to "public service." She's just their type. AND she might qualify for victimhood.

[friendly]

Marriage, family, education, ethics, religion, and all other aspects of civilization are under massive (generally "successful") assault by the democrats. The rationale seems to be that this is the democrat road to power, and must therefore be encouraged in every way.

[mtbopfuyn]

...but is also eligible for probation because she has no previous felony convictions.

Surely Texas will give this creature the full 20 years.

[G.Mason]

"You don't do heroin with your children. Period," lead prosecutor Mitch Poe said......"

You tell them Mr. D.A. !

To do that legally, you must wait until they are safe at "public" school.

[The Coopster]

You know, this thread isn't about public school.

Ride your high horse somewhere else.

[MaryFromMichigan]

Your tagline says it all.

[G.Mason]

"You know, this thread isn't about public school."

"Ride your high horse somewhere else."

And pray tell, little one, what do you want to be when you grow up?

[The Coopster]

And pray tell, little one, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Someone who stays on topic.

[Conservative til I die]

Jerry Springer just lost one of his future guests.