Opinion ID: 1826525
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: chester shook

Text: Chester Shook pled guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute on November 12, 1993. On that same day, Judge Russell sentenced Shook to four years on one count and two years on the other, to run concurrently. After Judge Russell sentenced Shook to the penitentiary, he was inundated with telephone calls from Shook's daughter, Pat Hall. Hall repeatedly called because she was concerned about her father's mental and physical health while at Parchman. Hall testified that she had spoken with Suzi Steiger, a case manager supervisor at Parchman, who conducts inmate evaluations and at times sends reports on inmates to judges throughout Mississippi. Steiger testified that Shook, a sixty-seven year old inmate, was not doing well mentally or emotionally while at Parchman and would better served by being released. Steiger testified that she urged Hall to contact Judge Russell. On May 9, 1994, Judge Russell entered a nunc pro tunc order suspending Shook's sentence. Judge Russell gave the orders to Shook's daughter to be filed. Judge Russell consistently maintained that he acted pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 47-7-47. However, Judge Russell admitted that no mention of shock probation was made at the original sentencing hearing nor did the original sentencing order reserve the right to judicial review. Judge Russell further testified that he suspended Shook's sentence after he was informed by Hall that Shook had lost 30 pounds, was 67 years of age, and had a cancerous tumor. Judge Russell later confirmed this information by contacting Ms. Steiger at Parchman. In addition, Judge Russell testified that he consulted the Sheriff of Prentiss County, about Shook's release. Like the Kemp case, no hearings were held, nor was Shook's attorney, consulted regarding this matter.