Methadone News Blog @newzblogz.com

MARQUETTE An Ishpeming man pleaded no contest Thursday at his arraignment on a charge of delivering a controlled substance causing death.

Jesse Martin, 40, of 280 Steel St., entered the plea before Judge John R. Weber in Marquettes 25th Circuit Court in a plea agreement that dismissed two unrelated misdemeanor charges of delivering prescription drugs. The agreement also stated the prosecutors office would recommend a sentence in line with state guidelines for the charge, a felony with a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The charge originated from the death of a Calumet woman in October. Sherry Klemett, 36, died at a relatives home in Painesdale, police said. Marquette County Prosecutor Gary Walker said Thursday that Martin told police he had delivered the drug to Klemett, and that a medical examiner found Klemetts death to be a result of methadone overdose.

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A mother was charged Thursday after her 2-year-old son drank her methadone and died, authorities said.

Lakesha Williams, 35, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the life of a child. Her son, Kejuan Davis, was found unresponsive in the family's home in the 5200 block of West Chicago on Tuesday and died the following day, police said.

Charges were approved after medical tests confirmed that the baby had methadone -- a deadly narcotic -- in his system, a law enforcement source said.

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BY KAREN McDONALD OF THE JOURNAL STAR PEKIN - A 55-year-old Pekin man died from a combined lethal dose of methadone and the painkiller Doxepin.

William H. Swingle, 11255 Garman Road, was prescribed the two drugs by a doctor to treat chronic back pain., Tazewell County Coroner Dennis Conover said. A coroner's jury ruled the death accidental during inquests Thursday.

Conover expressed concern with an apparent increasing number of methadone overdoses in the county. Methadone is an inexpensive legal opiate that is given to heroin addicts as a "maintenance drug" on an outpatient basis.

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Kejuan Davis was a welcome sight many mornings at Austin's In the Cut barbershop. The 2-year-old would run down the stairs from his apartment to help open the shop and turn on the lights before settling into a chair to play video games.

Employees and customers were devastated Thursday by the news that the toddler's mother was charged in his death, two days after the boy ingested her methadone prescription, police say.

"We are heartbroken," shop owner Terrance Stanley said. "This is just tragic."

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* PEDESTRIAN ARRESTED -- A 50-year-old Richmond man was arrested during a pedestrian stop after the officer determined he was in possession of crystal methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

MONDAY, JUNE 18

* HONDA STOLEN -- A 1995 Honda Civic was stolen from the 5700 block of Charles Avenue at 9 p.m. and 7:55 a.m. the next day.

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