Pubdate: Thu, 06 Sep 2001
Source: Oregonian, The (OR)
Copyright: 2001 The Oregonian
Contact:  http://www.oregonlive.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/324
Author:  Dana Tims

CLINIC LEADER WON'T BE TRIED FOR TRESPASS

Criminal charges will not be pursued against the proprietor of a nationally 
recognized North Portland health clinic, the Yamhill County district 
attorney's office said Wednesday.

Mariah Taylor was cited Aug. 24 for criminal trespass after refusing to 
leave the Sheridan Correctional Facility. Prison officials ordered Taylor 
to leave the grounds after a drug-detection device called an ion tracker 
indicated she had tested positive.

Taylor, who was at the facility to visit her incarcerated son, had been 
scheduled to appear in court on the accusation Sept. 10.

Brad Berry, Yamhill County district attorney, said he decided not to 
prosecute the case for several reasons. Those included Taylor's lack of 
criminal history, the minor nature of the alleged offense, Taylor's 
"emotional rather than malicious" response at the prison and wishes by 
Warden Robert Hood that the case not proceed.

Tom Markgraf, senior staff adviser to Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., 
contacted Berry's office on Taylor's behalf. He praised the decision to 
halt criminal charges but said a larger review was still needed of the ion 
tracker, which has drawn criticism from civil liberties groups across the 
country.

Taylor has won numerous honors and awards since founding the North Portland 
Nurse Practitioner Community Health Clinic more than 20 years ago. The 
clinic has provided health care to an estimated 18,000 children from its 
office on North Vancouver Avenue.
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MAP posted-by: Beth