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

[edgemo]

A story about a prosecutor too stupid to check the facts of a case before signing off on it then publicly stating that he was too stupid to have checked the facts leads me (for the first time) to think that there may be something more political, and less than legal about the drug charges against Johnston.

[mountainweb]

Sad that after the election, some liberal/progressives have sunk to the need to be constantly attacking people who don't think like they do. Would be interesting to get comments on why Sherry Johnston got the pass to travel without really stating a reason instead of the brain dead attacks on Palin who appears to have had nothing to do with this! I thought we had "progressed" beyond such a shallow stage.

[Piatt]

Must be something in the water in Alaska. The Palmer District attorney says he wouldn't have approved the trips if he'd known the reasons. Shouldn't the reasons have been part of his consideration prior to approval?

[dave1111]

Mr. Prosecutor, either ask the judge to revoke bail, or shut up.

[mountainweb]

Sounds reasonable but you have to realize that he is playing this for his 15 minutes of fame as many times as possible. Ands as long as we have people that will use any excuse to attack Palin (who appears to have nothing to do with this), he has it made!

[wadenelson1]

These two families deserve each other. And America deserves better --- better talk shows, and better candidates.

[iamvalid]

I must be the devils advocate in the case against Sherry Johnston.If Mrs. Johnson was not the mother of a now famous individual, she most likely would have already been sentenced to either a short jail sentence. That of course assuming that she is guilty in the first place. Now I am not a fan of Levi Johnston because of the fact that republicans are always pointing out their moral superiority.

I just find it to be amazing hypocritical for Sarah Palin and the chosen party to be preaching about morality to the choir while displaying misplaced parental guidance to her own family.

I have never been able to put away a quote I heard repeated on TV during one of the past republican conventions. When a large and outspoken woman carrying a sign proclaim family values was asked by a reporter what family values actually meant, she could not answer. Finally out of frustration, she blurted out, "I can't explain what it means, but I can point it out if I see it." The republicans are as broken as they ever were.

[Eykis]

This is actually sad - and Hillary and Obama were vilified for saying part of Mexico's drug problem was caused by the USA.

We have a terrible drug problem here - yes, it is our problem, not Mexico's, but this item would not have had any newsplay outside of Anchorage/Wasilla if Palin had not thrust Levi upon the nation, so she could justify her kid being pregnant. It is sad that Ms. Johnston has a drug problem. She needs help.

Palin should pay for her rehab and legal fees. She should also pay the legal fees for Levi to have to go to court to see his child. Instead, all Palin does is promote herself and try to ruin a family that has plenty of their own woes and never asked for national attention.

I would have gone to assist my teenager on TV if asked. She's his mom.

[4evryoung]

Looked like "important family business" to me. She didn't go to Disney World.

I can't say that I blame Levi and his family going on these interviews. After all it was palin that thrust him into the limelight. I guess now that he has no value the Palin's have pushed him to the curb.

Levi get a lawyer, it's the only way to guarantee your rights as this child's father.

[weatherwaxx]

He has the right to help support his kid... so instead of finishing school or sticking with a job, he goes on TV and whines.

Bristol dodged a bullet on this one. The last thing she needs is TWO crybabies.

[oregonbird]

You signed off on her trip. She did something with her family, just like she said she was going to do. Now -- what? You've got no beef. What you have is a few phone calls from the governor's office, or SarahPAC, or the new AFT, or from Greta... proving that you are Palin's lapdog isn't really the way to go in this, Mr. Prosecutor. If I was the defendant's attorney, I'd be all over you like white on rice. Really.

[calickizzle]

Hey, politicizing the Justice Department worked well for Shrub and Gonzo.... never mind.

[Taughtology]

Sarah Palin, as Governor, has meddled in people's business. But Sherry Johnston *is* facing felony drug charges. Prosecutors invariably don't want defendants to leave the district prior to trial, especially if the defendant is going onto a nationally syndicated show that could influence the jury pool.

If you want someone to take the opposite position, look at the defense council. Both positions are defensible. It's the judge's call.

[CR46]

She asked for and got permission from this same prosecuter who is complaining.

[weatherwaxx]

I was thinking of the jury, too -- now she can say she can't get a fair trial because so many people know about the case.

What a collection of losers... I feel bad for Alaska!

[p-junkie]

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

_____________

HEHEHEHE!!

'HIS BAD' for not asking the pertinent questions i.e. who, what, when, where.....

[cyoohoos]

I'm sure Sara is behind this. The woman did an interview to defend her family and her son. She came back, get over it.

[AnnfromCA]

uh huh.....you're sure because you want to believe that.

[MAragon]

Don't be surprised if a phone call didn't go through from a certain gubernatorial office. The Palins have quite a hold over their home town Wasilla in silencing dissent and making a pointed phone call is just the sort of thing GINO would do - witness the way in which she went after her ex-brother in law.

[MonaLisa65]

Oh please, Ann. Who else would it be? Why didn't the prosecutor voice this objection weeks ago? The show aired nearly a month ago, but he only just heard about it?

Days before it even aired, Palin (via Stapleton in her blurry family-spokesperson/SarahPAC-spokesperson role) sent out a press release denouncing the appearance as lies and fortune-seeking. Why didn't Kalytiak say something THEN?

And who else would benefit from the Johnstons' being quieted? It is a logical assumption that Palin put this in motion.

[SouthernYankeeBelle]

Na, your right. Oh wait she had nothing to do with trying to get her ex-brother-in-law fired either, right?

[Petey131]

The defender is back!

[poster1122]

And B-Rod wants to defend his reputation too by appearing on TV. When you're under indictment, you generally have to stay within state limits, barring a *compelling* reason otherwise. Going on Tyra doesn't fall under that category.

[westminster]

The hand of Palin AGAIN!!!!!!! If she thinks that not allowing a man to see his child is ok she has another thing coming. Family values my foot. First her teenaged daughter gets pregnant and she has the baby and now the father is being denied access. Did I mention family values - my foot?!?!?!!

[redsongia]

Dang! Does anyone in Alaska know what the laws are up there?

[Ellyllon]

I think it's safe to say, 'no.'

[CptKendrick]

S.P. sure doesn't.

[rhondadavis28]

agrree...i do...

The only reason this became an issue for the Department of Law in Alaska is Palin and her Palinistas are throwing a fit about it. Palin owns the DOL. Look at who she tried to appoint for attorney general. Look at who is the acting attorney general. Look at Colberg who advised her to do things against the law to help her get her unethical way. Choices about felons going to the lower 48 even for medical care are based on politics here. For all we know Sherry Jonhston's case may be mostly based on retaliation from Palin. I would not be surprised to find out her case is not at all what they made it out to be. If she can prove this the state of Alaska could be sued for not allowing her to go.

well stated...whom ever posted this comment