Pubdate: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 Source: Houston Chronicle (TX) Copyright: 1999 Houston Chronicle Page: 43A Contact: Viewpoints Editor, P.O. Box 4260 Houston, Texas 77210-4260 Fax: (713) 220-3575 Website: http://www.chron.com/ Forum: http://www.chron.com/content/hcitalk/index.html Author: Steve Brewer EX-DEPUTY GRANTED 'SHOCK' PROBATION An ex-Harris County sheriff's deputy who was serving four years in prison for drug charges was released Wednesday and put on "shock" probation. Over prosecutors' objections, state District Judge Jim Wallace granted a defense motion to free Lawrence Rhea Underwood to serve six years' probation for two charges of possession of a controlled substance. Underwood, 30, pleaded guilty to the charges in June. Wallace sentenced him to four years in prison, telling him he had soiled his badge. But state law allows Underwood to go back to Wallace within six months to request "shock" probation, so-called because it means the felon has tasted prison life. Wallace said he felt Underwood's crime was terrible, but that the man deserved a chance to prove himself. "I believe he's learned a very valuable lesson," Wallace said. "He's been in prison six months and I put him on probation with some pretty strenuous conditions. I believe he will never violate his probation, otherwise I would have never had him 'shocked' out of prison." Wallace ordered Underwood to do 500 hours' community service. He must also report to his probation officer more than the average probationer, take more drug tests and attend counseling. Underwood and his wife, Lisa, pleaded guilty to drug charges. She got six years' probation. Lisa Underwood was arrested in an Oct. 29, 1998. drug sting. After her arrest, deputies got a search warrant to test her husband's urine. Underwood, a deputy since '91, was arrested at the their northeast Harris County home and fired shortly thereafter. Evidence showed he had been using drugs for five years. At his June sentencing hearing, he admitted under oath that he once used drugs while on duty and once bought drugs while he was in a patrol car. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk