Date: 04-18-2013

Case Style: State of Oklahoma v. Mark Allen Peters

Case Number:

Judge:

Court: District Court, Cleveland County, Oklahoma

Plaintiff's Attorney: Assistant District Attorney Lori Puckett

Defendant's Attorney: Charles E. Douglas

Description: The State of Oklahoma charged Mark Allen Peters, age 54, with first-degree manslaughter in violation of 21 O.S. 711; possession of control drugs; and obstructing a police officer in violation of 21 O.S. 540 in conjunction with the death of Safari McDoulett, age 36, in conjunction with the death of Ms. McDoulett in a traffic accident on Oklahoma State Highway 9 on February 20, 2012.

The State called 20 witnesses and introduce more than 100 exhibits during a trial that lasted two weeks.

The defense did not call any witnesses.

Title 21 O.S. 711 provides:

Homicide is manslaughter in the first degree in the following cases:

1. When perpetrated without a design to effect death by a person while engaged in the commission of a misdemeanor.

2. When perpetrated without a design to effect death, and in a heat of passion, but in a cruel and unusual manner, or by means of a dangerous weapon; unless it is committed under such circumstances as constitute excusable or justifiable homicide.

3. When perpetrated unnecessarily either while resisting an attempt by the person killed to commit a crime, or after such attempt shall have failed.

Title 63 O.S. 2-402 provides:



A. 1. It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled dangerous substance unless such substance was obtained directly, or pursuant to a valid prescription or order from a practitioner, while acting in the course of his or her professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this act.

2. It shall be unlawful for any person to purchase any preparation excepted from the provisions of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act pursuant to Section 2-313 of this title in an amount or within a time interval other than that permitted by Section 2-313 of this title.

3. It shall be unlawful for any person or business to sell, market, advertise or label any product containing ephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers, for the indication of stimulation, mental alertness, weight loss, appetite control, muscle development, energy or other indication which is not approved by the pertinent federal OTC Final Monograph, Tentative Final Monograph, or FDA-approved new drug application or its legal equivalent. In determining compliance with this requirement, the following factors shall be considered:

a. the packaging of the product,

b. the name of the product, and

c. the distribution and promotion of the product, including verbal representations made at the point of sale.

B. Any person who violates this section with respect to:

1. Any Schedule I or II substance, except marihuana or a substance included in subsection D of Section 2-206 of this title, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than two (2) years nor more than ten (10) years and by a fine not exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00). A second or subsequent violation of this section with respect to Schedule I or II substance, except marijuana or a substance included in subsection D of Section 2-206 of this title, is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than four (4) years nor more than twenty (20) years and by a fine not exceeding Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00);

2. Any Schedule III, IV or V substance, marihuana, a substance included in subsection D of Section 2-206 of this title, or any preparation excepted from the provisions of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by confinement for not more than one (1) year and by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00);

3. Any Schedule III, IV or V substance, marijuana, a substance included in subsection D of Section 2-206 of this title, or any preparation excepted from the provisions of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act and who, during the period of any court-imposed probationary term or within ten (10) years of the date following the completion of the execution of any sentence or deferred judgment for a violation of this section, commits a second or subsequent violation of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than two (2) years nor more than ten (10) years and by a fine not exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00); or

4. Any Schedule III, IV or V substance, marijuana, a substance included in subsection D of Section 2-206 of this title, or any preparation excepted from the provisions of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act and who, ten (10) or more years following the date of completion of the execution of any sentence or deferred judgment for a violation of this section, commits a second or subsequent violation of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years and by a fine not exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00).

C. Any person who violates any provision of this section by possessing or purchasing a controlled dangerous substance from any person, in or on, or within one thousand (1,000) feet of the real property comprising a public or private elementary or secondary school, public vocational school, public or private college or university, or other institution of higher education, recreation center or public park, including state parks and recreation areas, or in the presence of any child under twelve (12) years of age, shall be guilty of a felony and punished by:

1. For a first offense, a term of imprisonment, or by the imposition of a fine, or by both, not exceeding twice that authorized by the appropriate provision of this section. In addition, the person shall serve a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the sentence received prior to becoming eligible for state correctional institution earned credits toward the completion of said sentence; or

2. For a second or subsequent offense, a term of imprisonment not exceeding three times that authorized by the appropriate provision of this section and the person shall serve a minimum of ninety percent (90%) of the sentence received prior to becoming eligible for state correctional institution earned credits toward the completion of said sentence, and imposition of a fine not exceeding Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00).

D. Any person convicted of any offense described in this section shall, in addition to any fine imposed, pay a special assessment trauma-care fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) to be deposited into the Trauma Care Assistance Revolving Fund created in Section 1-2530.9 of this title.

Title 21 O.S. 540 provides:

Any person who willfully delays or obstructs any public officer in the discharge or attempt to discharge any duty of his office, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Outcome: Defendant was found guilty with a recommendation by the jury that he be sentenced to 38 years in prison.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: