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| Prison Visitor Won't Be Charged |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 09/13/2001 |
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A prison visitor in Oregon will not be charged with trespassing after she was singled out by a drug-detecting machine, then arrested when she protested the finding and refused to leave, a prosecutor said recently. Several visitors to the federal facility in Sheridan have complained in recent weeks that the prison's ion detection device is so powerful it finds tiny quantities of drug residue unknowingly picked up from sources such as currency and taxi seats. Mariah Taylor was randomly selected to be scanned Aug. 24 before a visit with her son. It indicated she was carrying illegal substances, but she said she did not have any narcotics and refused to leave. She was to have been arraigned Sept. 10 on a charge of criminal trespassing. Yamhill County District Attorney Brad Berry said he would not pursue the case, partly because she has no criminal record and is involved in the community. Taylor, who turned in her son for dealing drugs, founded and directs a Portland area health clinic. She has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey television show and received an honorary doctorate for her work. Citing federal regulations, prison officials have refused to make any allowances or hear any appeals of the scanning complaints. The prison started using the device in 1999. Officials say 75 to 100 visitors are scanned each week, and the machine typically reports about one positive reading. |
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