Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jul 2005
Source: Whitehorse Star (CN YK)
Copyright: 2005 Whitehorse Star
Contact:  http://www.whitehorsestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1493
Author: Candice O'Grady
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

MOM DETERMINED TO KICK COKE TO REGAIN HER CHILD

Doreen Oulette appeared in Yukon Supreme Court on Tuesday on charges of 
drug possession, in front of an overflowing courtroom.

The 32-year-old Yukoner was facing charges of possessing seven to eight 
grams of cocaine, after the drugs were found in her bedroom during a search 
of her mother's house at 810 Wheeler St.

Deputy Justice Rene Foisy, who heard the case in the packed courtroom, 
sentenced her to a three-month conditional sentence and one year's 
probation, as well as 150 hours of community service.

A conditional sentence does not need to be carried out in jail, as long as 
the person follows the rules of his or her release. Oulette has been in 
custody at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre (WCC) since June 26.

Since she was serving time before her conviction, the month she spent at 
WCC counts for double. This means she has one month remaining on her 
conditional sentence, as well as community service and probation.

In order to encourage her to attend drug and health counselling, the time 
Oulette spends in treatment will also count toward community service hours, 
said Foisy.

Defence lawyer Gordon Coffin said Oulette is committed to turning her life 
around. She has a child with her common-law husband, and wants to regain 
custody of the one-year-old.

Due to Oulette's substance abuse problems, the child is currently in care.

She understands that in order to get her child back, she must first get "a 
handle on her cocaine problem," Coffin said.

"She wants to do things differently now," he said. "I think it's in the 
best interest of everyone to support her in this plan." Before delivering 
her sentence, Foisy spoke directly to Oulette.

"Doreen, are you serious about this?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," she said.

"I know that you have a serious incentive, because you want to get your 
child back, and the only way to get your child back is to become a good 
citizen and to stay clean," he said.

The terms of her conditional sentence and year of probation include not 
consuming any alcohol or drugs, reporting to her bail supervisor and 
staying at least three blocks away from the house on Wheeler Street.

While Oulette has no previous criminal record, she was originally charged 
with possession and trafficking.

After the hearing, while answering questions from community members who 
attended court, Crown prosecutor David McWhinnie said the RCMP did not have 
enough evidence for a trafficking charge.

There are certain types of evidence that police look for when a person is 
allegedly trafficking drugs, he said. Some of these objects include scales 
for weighing the drugs, cutting instruments and special kinds of paper.

While a large number of needles were recovered from 810 Wheeler, that only 
proves that drugs were being consumed, he explained. For a trafficking 
charge, there needs to be evidence that a person meant to sell or trade the 
drugs.

Oulette has struggled with drug addiction for many years, according to Coffin.

She lived in her mother's house at 810 Wheeler St. an environment, he said, 
played a role in her drug abuse.

Her addiction was also more serious in the past, he said. While she used to 
inject cocaine, she stopped when she discovered she was pregnant. For the 
past year, she has been inhaling cocaine.

Over the past month, while in custody at WCC, however, Oulette has been 
sober and clean.

There was an exceptionally large audience in the courtroom because the 
Downtown Residents Association had planned a protest outside the building 
to coincide with Oulette's court proceeding.

The group gathered for a rally before heading inside to attend the hearing. 
They were wearing black ribbon on their arms to symbolize the damage caused 
by drug use and trafficking in the community.

Attendees of the protest said they were sending a message to those working 
in the justice system that drug abuse is hurting the community.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom