For the second straight day, Judge Daniel Creitz has doubled the recommended prison sentence of one of the defendants involved in Shawn Cooks murder.
On Tuesday, Creitz announced Rhonda Jackson, who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for her role in the March 2016 murder of the 33-year-old Iolan, will be sentenced to 98 months in prison, a shade more than eight years.
State sentencing guidelines, which weigh the severity of a crime with the defendants criminal history, prescribed a standard sentence of 49 months for Jackson.
However, Creitz said he was invoking the states double-double rule, which allows a judge to increase the prison time under certain circumstances.
We have a terrible tragedy here, and we have a death, Creitz said in announcing his sentence.
The court takes notice of the defendants testimony and all the preliminary hearing transcripts all of the other pleadings.
Jackson, 52, testified last week in Josh Knapps first-degree murder trial about a failed drug deal, in which Cook was asked to sell 100 Dilaudin pills supplied by Jackson, and return with $2,000.
He failed to return, however, precipitating a series of threatening text messages from Jackson. Jackson testified she contacted Amber Boeken, a close friend, who said she would see what she could do.
Cook was killed a day later.
Jackson also admitted giving Boeken and Knapp directions to the Neosho River, where Cooks body was found more than two weeks after he was killed, then giving Boeken a ride back to her house when she and Knapp returned with wet and bloody clothing.
Boeken, who previously pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, was sentenced by Creitz Monday to nearly 20 years in prison. Like with Jackson, Creitz doubled Boekens sentence, under the same double-double rule.
Creitzs announcement caught Robert Myers, Jacksons attorney, off guard. Myers asked for a continuance, so he could advise Jackson of the implications of Creitzs ruling.
She and I did not discuss the potential implications of the double-double rule, Myers told the judge. If she believes she was not properly advised of that, it may create implications for me in regards to our plea agreement.
Creitz said he would allow the continuance, to Aug. 30, to give Jackson and her attorney time to discuss the matter.
The bottom line is the court imposes controlling sentence of double-49, which means 98 months, Creitz reiterated. I dont have the authority to order any greater sentence under the law. I can double the base, and thats what Im doing.
