Updated on July 21, 2020 — DA “disappointed” with governor’s commuted sentence for Guthrie man
Updated on January 15, 2020 — District attorney strongly objects parole board’s recommendation for commuting sentence
Larry Eugene Lawton was sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole and was not in the courtroom to hear his fate that was handed down to him.
Lawton, 39, was found guilty of all four charges inside the Logan County Courthouse on Tuesday afternoon. With the four new convictions, Lawton now has 22 felony convictions that date back to the early 1990’s for similar charges.
A 12-person jury made up of nine females and three males needed just 43 minutes to make their verdict, but needed 88 minutes to decide their punishment in front of District Judge Phillip Corely.
Lawton, who previously served prison time, was found guilty of trafficking illegal drugs, unlawful possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute, acquire proceeds from drug activity and possession of a controlled dangerous substance without tax stamp.
Jurors found the maximum penalty of life in prison without parole and a $25,000 fine for the trafficking charge, a 50 year prison term for possession with intent to distribute, five years for the charge of acquiring proceeds and fined $10,000 for having dangerous substance without a tax stamp.
However, before closing remarks could be concluded on the sentencing portion of the trial, Lawton became irate toward his attorney by throwing an ink pen down and appearing to shove his attorney’s hands away as they sat at the defense table during the state’s closing remarks.
Lawton was over heard saying, “why you going to do me that way” at the time of making the move toward his attorney.
Judge Corely quickly ask the courtroom deputies to place Lawton in handcuffs and remove him after not obeying his commands to quiet down. Lawton allowed deputies to handcuff him, but became more irate when being led out.
Guthrie Police Lieutenant Mark Bruning, who was the lead detective in the case and sitting at the State’s table, quickly assisted the deputies as Lawton became combative inside the hallway between the courtroom and sheriff’s office.
Jurors witness the entire encounter and could hear the commotion in the hallway as the State started back with their closing remarks.
Lawton was not allowed back into the courtroom to hear his sentence.
The minimum penalty that Lawton faced, in count one, was 10 years in prison due to his prior convictions.
The formal sentence trial is set for August 17 at 9 a.m.
Guthrie Police conduct investigation; results in big bust
The Guthrie Police Department conducted an ongoing investigation dealing with illegal drug activity at the Interstate Motel located near I-35 on East Oklahoma street.
A former Guthrie police officer, who was working at a tire store, spotted foot traffic coming from the hotel room and informed detectives on September 27, 2011. Detectives quickly made an arrest on Douglas McLaurin several blocks away from the motel for possession of crack cocaine. He later pleaded guilty to the crack cocaine charge.
Guthrie police quickly learned Lawton had an outstanding warrant and placed him under arrest. During the arrest, officials spotted marijuana in an ash tray inside his motel room and immediately sought a search warrant.
Police searched the room and found 39.7 grams of crack cocaine, five baggies of marijuana measuring out a total of 15.1 grams, a set of scales and $2,150 in cash.
The amount of crack cocaine found was seven times the amount over the limit to be charged with trafficking.
I really think life in prison without the possibility of parole is WAY too much time for this crime. I can’t believe that we allow illegal aliens into our country and don’t do anything to them and THAT IS ILLEGAL!!!!! But we do our own citizens like this when the illegal aliens have taken all of the jobs and they get all of the welfare and food stamps. No wonder why we have drug dealers and I’m not saying that dealing drugs is right either, but let’s be fair with the law all around and start by sending the illegal aliens home and closing the borders up. But this is how we treat our citizens when I’m sure all he was trying to do was make a living to take care of himself and his family. I’m just saying that we should be fair with the law all around and not just when it comes to dealing drugs. But life in prison without the possibility of parole does not even fit this crime because it wasn’t like he had alot of drugs in his possession anyway!
TO THE DUMB BROAD WHO WROTE THE 1ST COMMENT ON THIS PAGE. MAYBE YOU A FRIEND OF HIS OR A DUMB VICTIM THAT DONT KNOW SHE HAS BEEN A VICTIM. HE IS A VERY WISE MAN HOWEVER, HE IS JUST WHAT THEY STATED. THE LAW IS THE LAW AND ANYONE WHO IS BREAKING IT SHOULD BE PUNISHED. HOW MANY TIMES CAN WE TELL A PERSON TO GET THEIR LIFE TOGETHER. YEA WE DO HAVE ILLEGAL ALIENS IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TITLE (ILLEGAL) (ALIENS).THEY ARE BREAKING THE LAW WE ARENT ALLOWING THEM TO BE OVER HERE THEY ARE SNEAKING THEM IN. YOU DONT KNOW LARRY, BUT I DO, HE IS A GREAT FATHER AND A WISE MAN. BUT THAT’S IT THATS ALL. THINK OF THE WORSE MAN IN THE WORLD THAT YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO HAVE IN YOUR LIFE OR ANY OTHER WOMANS LIFE. THINK OF THE WORSE ABUSE YOU COULD NEVER ENDURE. THINK OF THE MOST DISGUSTING ACTS OF DISRESPECT YOU COULD EVER RECEIVE FROM A MAN. YEA WHEN YOU SPEAK ON A PERSON, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE PERSON. YOU CARE SO MUCH ABOUT HIM, HELL HE NEEDS SUPPORT CALL LOGAN COUNTY AND PUT MONEY ON HIS BOOKS. SINCE YOU CARE SO MUCH. HE NEEDS SUPPORT. CALL YOURSELF HIS TEAMMATE. WHEN I THINK OF LARRY I THINK OF HIM AS A PERSON AND WHAT I KNOW OF HIM. I DONT THINK HE DESERVED LIFE, HOWEVER, HOW LONG DID HE THINK HE WAS GONE BE RUNNING AROUND DOING ALL HIS DIRT ALL HIS LIFE. DID HE NOT THINK GOD HIMSELF WOULD COME EVENTUALLY. WHEN I THINK OF LARRY I SAY WONDERFUL FATHER. BUT TRULY THAT’S ALL I CAN SAY.
Well I myself know Larry very very well and have known him my entire life. We grew up together, we were first loves and we always remained in touch. I can understand what the 1st person is saying as well as the following who, I’m guessing, must be his baby’s mother. I was with him right before all of this happened and it is sad, but we all know right from wrong and at some point in our lives we have to be held accountable for our actions. I think life without parole is a little harsh and as far as illegal aliens, my mother is puerto rican and my dad black and I know racism when I see it. I personally don’t care what a person’s race is we all know right from wrong. Goodbye and God Bless!!!!
FUNNY HOW YOU BRAG ON YOU BEING WITH HIM RIGHT BEFORE HE GOT LOCKED UP BUT HE WAS WITH A CRACKHEAD DOPE DEALING DRUG INFORMANT AT THE MOMENT HE WAS CAUGHT. DAM DUMMY WHAT YOU BENEFIT BY BRAGGING ON KNOWING HIM I BEEN THE BOSS ASS BITCH SUPPORTING HIM THROUGHOUT IT ALL. FUNNY YOU TALKING ABOUT BEING HIS 1ST LOVE BUT I MET HER AND SHE LIVES IN HIS HOMETOWN GROESBECK TEXAS WHERE I FREQUENTLY VISITED WITH HIM. WHAT YOU GET GENITAL HERPES ON THAT VISIT WITH HIM. HOPE NOT. MY MOM BLACK MY DAD WHITE IM THE BADDEST BITCH AND I LEFT THE NIGA JUST A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE HE GOT LOCKED UP. I LET THE NIGA OFF THE LEASH SINCE HE WAS A DOG AND I ENDED UP WITH EVERYTHING IN THE END DAM DUMMY. SEND HIM SOME MONEY CRACKHEAD ASS BITCH. THE BOSS BITCH IS THE ONE WHO CAME OUT WITH EVERYTHING. DAM YOU DUMB AND NAL IM NOT HIS BABY MOM HE LIVED WITH ME FOR 8 YEARS, 8 YEARS OF CHEATING. SO A BOSS BITCH LIKE MYSELF WORKED IT TO MY ADVANTAGE AND GOT GREEDY WITH IT. DONT WORRY HO HE WILL TELL YOU THE SAME. ASK HIM WHO THE GREEDY BITCH IS…PROMISE YOU HE GONE TELL YOU MY NAME IS MAMA. DUMB BITCH BRAGGING ON WHAT THE BITCH THAT’S HOLDING ALL THE CARDS. NAL HE DIDNT DESERVE LIFE BUT THE DUMB BITCH AINT SENT HIM A DIME BUT SPEAKING UP. HE BEEN TAKING CARE OF MY DAUGHTER FOR 8 YEARS RAISED HER. CUZ DIDNT EVEN FUCK WITH HIS BABY MOMA OR TAKE CARE OF HIS OWN BIOLOGICAL KID. THAT AINT PATHETIC TO YOU. I LOVE THE NIGA BUT HE WAS WRONG IS SO MANY AREAS. SEND HIM MONEY. MATTER OF FACT GET YO MONEY UP YOU DUM SECTION 8, GUTHRIE HOUSING, STATE DEPENDENT NOBODY. CHECK WITH THE HEALTH DEPT IN GUTHRIE SINCE YOU SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH THE NIGA. DAM YOU FUNNY BUT I WILL MAKE SURE TO LET HIM KNOW YOU SPEAKING UP ON HIM MRS. ANONYMOUS. IM A BOSS BITCH….BITCH…CAN YOU SAY I ENDED UP WITH EVERYTHING. HE CAN. LOL DAM DUMMY