Pubdate: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Copyright: 2007 Chicago Tribune Company Contact: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82 Author: Brooks Egerton, The Dallas Morning News Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Tyrone+Brown (Tyrone Brown) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?244 (Sentencing - United States) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?245 (Clemency - United States) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) TEXAN FREED 17 YEARS AFTER FAILING DRUG TEST Case Raises Questions Over System's Fairness By Brooks Egerton, The Dallas Morning News HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- Tyrone Brown walked out of prison Thursday morning, 17 years after a single positive marijuana test while on probation led a Dallas judge to hit him with a life sentence. Brown, who won a conditional pardon last week from Texas Gov. Rick Perry, broke into a wide smile and then cried as he saw the crowd that awaited him: half a church busload of relatives, plus journalists from as far away as New York. "I didn't believe this day was going to come," he said. His mother, Nora Brown, rushed across the street to embrace her son and nearly collapsed, speechless. She then led the crowd in waving goodbye to the high red-brick walls and razor wire of the Huntsville unit, where Brown had been processed out of the prison system. She screamed "new life" as she later led the group in prayer. Brown's punishment has become symbolic of perceived problems in the Texas criminal justice system. Judge Keith Dean initially put Brown on probation in 1990, when he took part in an armed robbery in which no one was hurt. One positive drug test led to the life term in prison. Last spring, The Dallas Morning News contrasted Brown's case with that of a well-connected murderer whom Dean put on probation. The killer, John Alexander Wood, repeatedly tested positive for cocaine and committed other violations, yet he avoided prison. He even got permission to quit reporting to a probation officer and quit taking drug tests. Neither man had a prior criminal record. The judge, voted out of office in November, has refused to explain his actions. Brown isn't getting the simple commutation recommended by Dallas County officials and the Texas parole board. Instead he must report indefinitely to a parole officer and meet other conditions or risk going back to prison. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake