Sherry Johnston, Facing Felony Drug Charges, Shouldn't Have Left Alaska To Do Tyra, Prosecutor Says

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Palmer District Attorney said if he had known just why Sherry Johnston needed to travel outside Alaska he would not have signed off on the trip.

Johnston, who is facing felony drug charges, left Alaska to appear on "The Tyra Banks Show" and "Larry King Live."

Prosecutor Roman Kalytiak said he thought Johnston, who is the mother of Levi Johnson who fathered a child with Bristol Palin, Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter, had something important to do that justified traveling.

Kalytiak said the way the legal motion was worded, it appeared that Johnston needed to travel for important family business. He said he now knows that was not the case.

They "didn't say she was going out of state to appear on various TV shows," he said.

Johnston, 42, appeared on the programs alongside her daughter, Mercede, 17, and 18-year-old son, Levi.

Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston's out-of-wedlock pregnancy was announced while Palin was running for vice president. The two broke up shortly after the December birth of their son, Tripp.

The Johnstons talked on the shows about the rift between their family and the Palins.

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Kalytiak said that people accused of serious crimes who are not in jail awaiting trial are sometimes allowed to travel for unusual circumstances like funerals, medical treatment or other family emergencies.

But of Johnston's trips, he said, "It appears like these appearances are something she's doing as a choice and they certainly aren't necessary to her family or her case."

In December, Johnston was charged with dealing the prescription painkiller OxyContin, a popular but highly addictive recreational drug. Her trial is scheduled to begin May 18.

Kalytiak said Johnston should be thinking about the trial and working on her defense instead of traveling.

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Comments

[armadillo]

The theme music from Deliverance or COPS would have really made this article pop.

[WindySailor]

Gosh, I'm getting tired of the soap opera "Palin Place". Why can't these people just go away?

[ThatOne4Me]

"Palin Place" ... that's catchy :-)

[whatthel]

Only D listers need apply.

[protagonia]

Harder and harder to find a jury who has not heard of her.

[bpress]

'the legal motion was worded, it appeared that Johnston needed to travel for important family business.' Note that her daughter is age 17. I don't know about Alaska, but in the rest of the country, a parent or guardian needs to be in charge of a 17 year old. Mrs. Johnston needed to be there if her daughter was to be on the Tyra Banks program. It seems that the family business is appearing in public, just like the Palins.

[dengal]

no one asked for clarification before she went?
doh!

[Squeglen]

Just another example of how Alaska is run. Does anyone up there have a college education for the positions that they hold.

[JumpDownTurnAround]

Some do, it's just that it took them over 6 years to get a 4 year education!

[Hoken]

The way the prosecutor "went palin" and defensively blamed Johnston's attorney for his own error - if indeed there was an error - probably explains why he's practicing law in Palmer, AK. Had the judge not been satisfied with the travel request, it would not have been granted. I think we have to accept that after leaving the state twice and returning both times, she has vindicated the judgment of the court that she was not a flight risk. A competent prosecutor would have pointed that out to whomever was challenging him in defense of his own judgment and this drama would never have existed. In assessing whether someone is a flight risk, there is no expectation that all defendants will be equal in the eyes of the court.

[CarmanK]

What's this trying to make some money to support her family isn't justification for traveling within the borders of the US. Dear ole Blago went to CA to make a promo for the "Celebrity" gigg he cannot attend in Costa Rican jungle!! Something seems a bit suspicious that maybe Blago only has 13 federal felony counts against hime and Levi's mom has a few state charges??? Something seems rather discriminating to me. Must be Gov Palin found offense compounding the "seriouseness" of the charges against Levi's mom.

[weatherwaxx]

Flying out of state to do the talk-show circut and blather about your out-of-wedlock relatives (is there even a term for these soap-opera relationships?) is NOT "important family business."

This woman and her widdle boy were perfectly happy to latch onto the gravy train when Palin was prancing around on the platform spewing her message of hate. They were part of "real" America, yessireebob! Gonna tie the knot any day now, you betcha!

Now that Levi's decided he doesn't want to have Cruella as a mother-in-law (Hey, the kid may be an irresponsible twit, but he's not suicidal), and Mummy is up on drug charges, they're joining the Palin-haters.

If they didn't care when Palin was abusing her power to target other people, they've got a lot of nerve whining about what a meanie she is now. Mrs Mooseburger didn't change overnight, and neither did Mrs. can't-spel­l-Mercedes­. They're both an embarassment to American women.

[demimckingwoodtx]

I need reply, this young man has a child and seems very confused about things because he is still young himself. I don't blame his family for standing up for themselves I would, Palin gets a word so should he.

[MovingtoNorway]

Too bad Sarah didn't win. This would mess would have put the nails in the coffin of the Rethug party for a century. Now we'll have to count on Sarah and Bobby J to do it themselves.

[David423]

The District Attorney didn't know about Sherry Johnston's appearance
on TV in the lower 48.

Maybe they haven't delivered his intertube and maybe he is one of
these sexist pigs who believes that typing is women's work.

[lmvd3]

Anyone who names their kids Levi and Mercede (not even "Mercedes") has certainly been hooked on something for a long while.

[demimckingwoodtx]

Levi is a biblical name, duhh!!

[damilitantone]

This is what happens when you embarrass a "freedom loving" governor who apparently has no qualms against using the State to punish those that have the temerity to speak out against her in public. You can bet that had Levi married Palin's daughter his mother's legal troubles would have magically disappeared.

[ReealOne]

I'm starting to think that if we take off Sarah Palin's red Neiman-Marcus looted RNC pumps..... we'll gaze upon cloven hooves.

[ChiGuy]

I don't see where he's planning to file a motion to revoke her bail, so this is just him covering his arse.

[Kingstone]

Something is fishy for the little guy. Palin has been behind something before, therefore, she is pushing this one to shut up the Johnston family. Watch out people! Same old song.