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

[olderdem]

A question to the Prosecutor -- Did anyone representing Palin ask you why you allowed Johnston to leave the state? Seems odd that you didn't ask her more about the planned trip, it you were so concerned about it afterwoods. It wasn't exactly illegal to appear on Tyra was it?

Certainly other individuals in the past that have been charged with crimes have appeared on cable news shows. Why would you not allow that? Something Palin's reps said to you?

[Ed Lozano]

Conned by a con..... how novel

[wyldthings]

I feel very sorry for Levi. He will probably have a real hard time when his son grows up. For some money and some fame he is going on national T.V. and discussing their sex life. I'm sure that his son will have a lot of respect for him.

[ywcachieve]

He didn't discuss their sex life. Where are you people getting this wrong information from?

The only thing he said was, he spent nights at the Palins and shared a room with Bristol, and her parents OK'd it. So get the story right.

[LMKay66]

He talked about their use (or lack of use) of condoms as well, so I think that pretty much constitutes discussing one's sex life.

[tel8034]

Obviously this is a case where Sarah can't get at Levi so she has the prosecutor level this phony complaint.

If this was all that important, then why didn't the prosecutor make this claim immediately after the April 3rd Tyra Banks show? Why wait until after the Larry King's April 21st show to PUBLICALLY come out with this statement? ........... OBVIOUSLY SARAH IS PULLING THE STRINGS IN HER USUALLY VINDICTIVE MANNER.

This has the SAME SMELL as when Sarah ordered Wooten to fire her ex-brother-in-law which spawned TROOPERGATE.

But this vindictive tactic can't stop Levi from giving more interviews ............... He is 18 years old and doesn't need his mother's approval to "spill the beans".

In the Larry King interview, Levi was very "measured" with his answers ........... It was obvious that he was taking great care in leaving the door open for a "private" reconciliation in the matter of custody sharing ............... Now Sarah has muddied the waters with this stunt ............. LET THE COURT HEARINGS BEGIN ........... Sarah will rue that day that she played dirty in this saga............ ALL of the sordid details will be exposed in such a hearing (closed or not ..........­..........­..... because there are ALWAYS "leaks")

[weatherwaxx]

You should write blurbs for soap operas.

The Johnsons knew what Palin was when they got involved with the family. Did Levi think that getting Bristol pregnant was going to make Cruella HAPPY with him?

This group seems to have only one IQ -- divided amongst a whole lot of people.

That poor baby.

[canadiansoccermom]

This mother knows she has to go public to make sure her son has time with his child. Palin is behind Bristol not allowing visitation and she probably has something to do with the judge changing his mind.

[AnnfromCA]

He's allowed visitation. He said he feels uncomfortable, but that's his issue. He want to go to Dad and son "stuff," which is silly talk......this is an infant.

I don't blame Bristol for not wanting him to take the baby over to his mom's house. She's a known drug addict.

[LMKay66]

Dad and son stuff--even if he is just an infant--is not silly. It's important to bond with your baby from the get-go. I remember my husband constantly taking our infant son out for walks, carrying him around, talking to him, showing him things.

I do agree with you that Tripp probably shouldn't be over at the Johnston house with the drug history though.

[Pete2069]

like Rush the radio talk hostsssssss.

[tel8034]

AnnfromCA (akaPumaAnn) wrote

"I don't blame Bristol for not wanting him to take the baby over to his mom's house. She's a known drug addict."

The SAME drug addict Sarah hadno problem allowing he daughter to "pal around" with. until she becamea liability to Sarah's DELUSIONAL political ambitions.

What say you AnnfromCA, about Sarah's sister-in-law (the CAT BURGULAR WHO BRINGS HER DAUGHTER TO WORK)?

The Palins are a bunch of hillbillies, with multiple criminal deeds .............

Track cuts the brakes of 50 school buses and opts for the military instead of jail (he is no patriot, he's just a kid covering his A**).

Sarah's sister-in-law is a THIEF who brings her small child with her on her burglary missions.

Sarah herself is good at FALSIFYING travel documents, and submitting unauthorized PER DIEM requests just to fatten her own coffers ............... Isn't that considered STEALING FROM THE TAXPAYERS?

So the poor baby is saddled with undesirables from BOTH sides of his family ........ Actually the baby should be taken into "protective custody".

[formerprosecutor]

what a bunch of c.ra.p; so the rposecutor didn't engage in "due diligence" on his part, and ASK her attorney or the defendant why they were asking for a waiver. defendants never spin the truth to prosecutors... must be a rookie or he is (fill in blank) to cover his bu tt.


And a correction: Ox. yco. ntin is not a recreational d. rug ; it is s legitimate painkiller that can be abused just like any other prescription dru. g. It no more addictive than any other o piate

get educated:
www.opiates.com

[wdw505]

why is this crap even news.......it is 3 people away from palin.......it just doesn't matter

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

I always told my teenage children, that if they were considering having sex with someone to first look at that person and then consider if they wanted a lifelong connection to that person because if a pregnancy occurs that's what they'd get. Next I told them to consider their partners parents and whether they'd like to be around them for the rest of their lives. Also would my son or daughter want his or her prospective partner for a parent. If the answer to all three questions if not yes, then don't do it. I don't think Levi or Bristol considered any of these issues. You reap what you sow. Poor baby though.

[WCwill]

Why the heck do TV talk show hosts continue to feature these people? Must be the Jerry Springer factor. The more "low lives," the better.

[MadamRoma]

Sarah Palin should be arrested for masquerading as a vice presidential candidate.

[instarx]

Give me a break, please. This prosecutor is a lawyer and he know very well that unless the woman actually lied on her request he doesn't have a thing to complain about. It doesn't matter what he inferred from the request - just what it actually said in words.

Plus what is the prosecutor doing saying disparaging things about an upcoming defendant? That's misconduct in itself and could bias the jury pool..

[ywcachieve]

It was family business for Sherry, she went to support her son. I don't see why this statement had to be made by the DA.

I urge the Johnston's to get a family attorney, if they don't already have one, to get rights to the baby. Because Sarah Palin is a bully and full of venom. This schitt has her signature all over it.

[AnnfromCA]

Levi' mom better just get a lawyer for herself and deal with the drug charges she's facing.

[TheRubberRoomHotel]

This guy signed off on the travel and did not ask questions. What kind of Family situation did he suppose she was traveling to.
I would guess that Palin had a hissy fit and made some calls. This guy is covering his butt from Palins wrath.
She asked permission he gave it. Now he is backtracking.
I wondered why there was no response from Palin when the Johnston's' went on Larry King.
After her other responses, like after the Johnston's Trya appearance, I expected another nasty response on the Gov's state web site. But no not this time, she got to the prosecutor.

[aloha43]

Yep....you are so right.

EVERY other time she couldn't keep her mouth shut. Now, suddenly nothing. She is making someone else do her dirty work.

[wdw505]

good for her.......nothing is wrong with use power effectively

[MKC]

You call getting revenge on an 18-year old effective use of power? That's what she's trying to do. Her daughter really knows how to pick 'em and the poor kid gets punished just because his swimmer made it? I don't blame him for going national- Bristol did and it was fine, but since it's Levi, it's not?

[redhead61]

I thought the same thing. That he has had to have recieved a bitching phone call from Palin. Now he is on the hot seat.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

I agree completely. The Prosecutor knew exactly why she was leaving. Levi's lawyer spelled it all out for him. And it was in the news for days before they left town. This is just CYA for this DA. He will be caught in the 'Lie'... But he will have some 'splainin' to do. Don't expect the Gov. to back him up either.
Sarah only looks out for Sarah.... and this DA is not ' family'.... he doesn't count.

[RepublicansRejected]

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

Sounds a lot like when Rod Blagojevich shouldn't have been going to the media during his impeachment trial, and we all know what happened to him...

[aloha43]

Yea...he went to Disney World. How come the prosecutors are letting him run free?

[up420oz]

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.

Sounds just like Torture Party (Ne: Republican) Judge Baybee, in saying he is sorry with the decision that he made, ONLY AFTER THE FACT THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE PUBLIC!
2 things,
in the military, your taught that when you make a decision, YOU STICK TO IT!
&
saying your sorry that the decision is now public ,is not the same as addmitting responibility for your poor decision making ability.

Both incidents require 1 action,RESIGN, and accept any punisment involved.