A judge on Friday declined to reduce the sentence of a Tulsan who will continue to serve a 24-year prison term in a triple-fatality manslaughter case.
Steven Wade Jameson, now 22, pleaded guilty in 2011 to three counts of first-degree manslaughter in connection with a Christmas Eve crash that killed three members of a Sand Springs family.
One year ago, Associate District Judge Matthew Henry imposed a split 32-year sentence that requires Jameson to serve an eight-year probation after he completes the 24-year prison term.
Henry at that time scheduled a one-year judicial review of the case, and that was conducted Friday in a packed courtroom filled with observers on both sides of the case.
At the conclusion of the review, Henry denied a defense request for a modification and left the original sentence intact. He did not elaborate on his ruling.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported that Jameson was driving a 2004 Hummer H2 sport utility vehicle that crashed into a Chevrolet Cobalt in Sand Springs about 12:15 p.m. Dec. 24, 2009.
The Chevrolet’s occupants – Michael Mulanax, 42, Angela Mulanax, 41, and their son, James Mulanax, 18 – were killed. The collision occurred in wintry weather as Jameson was eastbound on Oklahoma 51 in Sand Springs.
The Mulanaxes were traveling west. Jameson indicated that he had turned around to check on his dog before he lost control of the Hummer and struck the car, an OHP trooper said.
Assistant District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said relatives of the victims were responsible for gathering about 700 signatures in a petition drive that requested that the original sentence be upheld.
In remarks in court directed to family members of the victims, Jameson said he prays for them and “I do want you to know I am sorry.”
Linda Perkins, who lost a daughter, grandson and son-in-law in the crash, indicated outside of court that Oklahoma’s law granting one-year judicial reviews of sentences means that family members of victims have to go through another year to see if a sentence is going to be upheld.
The manslaughter crimes require Jameson to serve 85 percent of the prison part of his sentence – or about 20 years – before he is eligible to be released.
Kunzweiler has said blood-testing showed that marijuana was in Jameson’s system. Defense lawyer Allen Smallwood has said there was a lack of evidence of any kind to support an allegation that Jameson’s driving was impaired by marijuana use.
Bill Braun 918-581-8455
bill.braun@tulsaworld.com
Article source: http://www.tulsaworld.com/site/articlepath.aspx?articleid=20120728_14_A19_CUTLIN542035
