Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 10, 1994                   TAG: 9403100167
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

NEW MOTHER'S JAIL SENTENCE IS SET ASIDE

Charlene Revin Lawrence, 24, of Christiansburg, was placed on probation Wednesday for her conviction of conspiring to distribute marijuana.

She was originally sentenced in Montgomery County Circuit Court last November to five years in prison. Two weeks after her sentencing, she was released from the Montgomery County Jail to give birth to twin girls. She was allowed to remain out of jail for two months to spend time with her babies and make arrangements for their care, but returned to jail Feb. 1.

Lawrence testified Wednesday that she had made arrangements for her sister to care for her children but that was falling through because of her sister's business commitments. Lawrence began to cry when she testified she wasn't sure who would care for her children.

Wednesday, Lawrence's attorney, Todd Patrick of Blacksburg, asked Judge Kenneth Devore to reconsider the sentence. Lawrence has maintained she was only an intermediary in a drug deal - supplying an undercover informant with the name and telephone number of someone who could supply the woman drugs. The accused supplier has yet to be tried.

Wednesday, Lawrence said she had learned that even supplying the drug contact to the informant was wrong. "I didn't know that it was, but it is," Lawrence said. "It'll never happen again."

When questioned by Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith, Lawrence denied statements by the informant that Lawrence had offered to be her drug dealer in the future and had negotiated the price.

Lawrence said she never dealt drugs.

"No sir, I don't even do drugs," she said.

Lawrence said she has changed her circle of friends and started attending church.

"I'd like to get out and raise my children and get a good job and go to school," Lawrence told Devore.

Patrick asked Devore on Wednesday to consider a 12-month jail term, the recommended sentence under sentencing guidelines. But Keith said the judge had been very accommodating in letting the woman have the time she had with her children. Keith said Lawrence was continuing to lie about her involvement in the drug deal.

"The evidence is very clear that Ms. Lawrence was a drug dealer," and was soliciting further business, Keith told the judge. "Your honor has bent over backward to let her out of jail and have her children."

Patrick and Lawrence were both clearly surprised when Devore took the leniency request one step further, placing the woman on probation for three years and suspending the five-year sentence. Lawrence clapped her hands to mouth as she comprehended that she would be free to go home to her children. Besides the twins, she has another daughter who turns 3 later this month.