BANGOR, Maine — The Brownville woman convicted of furnishing alcohol, marijuana and a prescription drug to her daughter’s friends during a birthday party last year is free on bail until an appeal is heard.
Tanya Donnelly, 37, was sentenced to one year in prison on June 1. She filed a notice of appeal and was granted a motion to stay execution of sentence in Penobscot County Superior Court on Wednesday, according to the Piscataquis County District Attorney’s Office.
She was released on $1,000 unsecured bail with special conditions of no use or possession of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs. She also must submit to search and testing of her person, vehicle and residence at any time without suspicion or probable cause. She cannot have direct or indirect contact with any of the victims or their parents and siblings.
Donnelly also has a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
“I’m extremely pleased with the decision. I think the judge was very fair-minded,” said Joseph Baldacci of Bangor, Donnelly’s attorney. “Because of her medical issues, it makes sense to allow her the opportunity to have an appeal. Obviously, if she had a much longer sentence, she probably wouldn’t have [been granted the motion].”
An appeal could take between six to nine months to be heard, said Baldacci. Since Donnelly’s sentence was for one year, had she stayed in jail until her appeal was heard, she may have fulfilled most of her sentence behind bars anyway, he said.
“The judge felt that she did not pose a risk to the judicial process; that she has complied with all the pre-conviction bail conditions and because of her medical issues [she should be granted the motion],” said Baldacci, referring to Superior Justice William Anderson.
Piscataquis County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said he was disappointed with the decision.
“We oppose her release on bail. We felt that she should be held pending her appeal. Unfortunately, we did not prevail,” said Almy. “Police will just have to keep a close watch on her and hopefully the neighborhood will as well.”
Donnelly, who carries an oxygen tank, collapsed while in court after sentencing on June 1 after she ran out of oxygen. Her attorney for the trial and sentencing, Dale Thistle of Newport, said she suffers from myriad medical problems, including pulmonary hypertension, COPD, asthma and fibromyalgia. She has been taken by LifeFlight to Boston on several occasions, he said.
Thistle said the decision makes sense because of her medical condition.
“Frankly, I think her physical condition needs to be stabilized as much as possible before she’s put in a prison facility,” said Thistle. “I’m glad that it was granted.”
On March 24, 2011, Donnelly threw a birthday party for her daughter, who invited several friends.
At some point during the party, several of the 12- and 13-year-old girls testified, Donnelly brought the girls from her father’s house, where the party started, to her house in order to smoke marijuana. According to the testimony of several witnesses, at least three of the girls smoked marijuana while others watched.
Later, the party returned to Donnelly’s father’s house, where Donnelly bought two six-packs of malt beverages and served them to the kids mixed with Kool-Aid, according to witnesses.
After one of the girls appeared to have had too much to drink, according to a witness, she went to a neighbor’s house, where she wanted to fight another girl who wasn’t at the party.
To calm her down, Donnelly gave her a prescription drug. Witnesses differed on what was given to the girl: Klonopin, an anti-seizure medication, or Clonidine, a medication used to treat high blood pressure and hypertension.
During sentencing, several of the girls who were at the party told Justice Anderson that their parents didn’t trust them and that they weren’t allowed at other parties anymore.
From the original article, “Perkins said in the taped interview that it didn’t make sense for all the girls to lie.”
Hmmmm……Is the crucible still required reading in schools…..Sometimes groups of kids lie.
There is no reason for these girls to lie…and by now one of them would have cracked if it was a lie. I applaud them for coming forward and doing the right thing. As far as the appeal, our justice system once again in action. Unbelievable.
This oxygen tank carrying woman gave drugs to kids…..who care what her condition is….slap her in jail and let he suffer what happens to her. She most likely is on State aid anyhow….so one way or another we will be paying.
And kids lie to save their own butts when cornered.
A year in stir will be good for her. I bet she comes out a different woman. She will get three squares a day, free health care and not be able to ruin her health as she is doing now. She will be away from drugs, alcohol and smokes. The way she is going now she isn’t long for this old world anyways.
When we were kids we always drank at someones house with their knowledge… We drank and smoked a little weed on private property all the time… It was legal to do on private property. With the laws today your private property isn’t so private anymore… You are losing your property rights all the time an go along with it.
Losing the “right” to get 13-year-olds stoned and drunk?
Sorry for all involved, hope a lesson has been learned. Do not deal with drugs.
Too bad she wasn’t from Falmouth — seems like this is an o.k. thing for parents to do in that part of the state or maybe it was o.k. down there because it involved sports teams. Don’t know if I think anyone should be given jail time for this but certainly whats good for one part of the state should be the same across the state.
I don’t understand what the problem is with the marijauna, the government sells it.
No one should judge this woman. The kids could be saving their own *** so they do not get in trouble. Or this woman, who cannot breath whatsoever, just likes to let loose, and gets drunk with the kids.
“No one should judge this woman.” She was convicted by a jury! There was also more evidence than just the testimony of the girls.
Can’t fix stupid.