Teresa Moon
Odome James Jackson appeared for sentencing on August 13 in the Tenth Judicial District Court before Judge Thomas Stockard. Jackson, who was in custody, had previously entered two not-guilty pleas in June after refusing to enter a plea himself. The charges against him included two separate cases of Driving Under the Influence with a Prior Felony DUI Conviction, carrying mandatory prison terms of 2-15 years and fines of $2,000-5,000.
Jackson’s defense attorney, Charles Woodman, requested to withdraw his client’s plea. Jackson had previously chosen to represent himself but later asked Woodman to take over his defense. However, on June 7, Jackson changed his plea to guilty. When asked why he now wanted to withdraw the plea, Jackson responded, “I am a natural living man” and insisted it was his right to do so.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Chelsea Sanford opposed the plea withdrawal, stating that Jackson had willingly entered his guilty plea and that there was “no legal recognizable basis” for it. She said the record shows a thorough canvas, and the defendant willingly and knowingly entered his plea voluntarily.
Judge Stockard said that the totality of the circumstances showed that both cases were set for jury trials, jury members had been summoned, Jackson had asked that the trial be vacated, and he had entered a guilty plea on both cases. The judge ruled that it would not be “fair and just, or consistent with the principles of justice” to allow the withdrawal. The court proceeded with sentencing.
Woodman noted Jackson’s history of DUIs, mentioning that he had completed a DUI diversion program for one of his previous offenses. He argued that Jackson was going through a difficult time and requested concurrent sentences of no more than five years each, highlighting that no accidents or injuries resulted from the incidents.
Woodman further said his client had several incidents involving alcohol in his youth, back to when he was a very young man, and at that time, he did not receive whatever treatment he could or should have. “In light of the fact that he was, to a certain extent, a victim of being exposed to and allowed to access alcohol from the time he was young,” said Woodman, “I would ask the court to look at that from the perspective of giving my client some deference,” Woodman asked for concurrent sentences at no more than five years each.
DA Sanford emphasized the importance of personal responsibility, noting that Jackson had a blood alcohol level of .102 in one incident and over .2 in another. She reminded the court that Jackson had previously completed a three-year DUI diversion program but had returned to court within two years. Sanford requested that the court impose concurrent sentences.
Judge Stockard sentenced Jackson to consecutive terms, resulting in a combined aggregate sentence of 56-106 months in the Nevada State Prison, with fines of $2,000 each. Additionally, Jackson must install a breath interlock device for 36 months before his driving privileges can be reinstated. Jackson was remanded to the custody of the Churchill County Sheriff.
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