BRISTOW, Okla. (AP) - A Meeker woman serving 27 years in prison in connection with the death of her 2-year-old daughter has lost her first bid for a new trial. Raye Dawn Smith is serving 27 years in prison
Thursday, December 6th 2007, 6:40 am
By: News On 6
BRISTOW, Okla. (AP) - A Meeker woman serving 27 years in prison in connection with the death of her 2-year-old daughter has lost her first bid for a new trial. Raye Dawn Smith is serving 27 years in prison for enabling child abuse. Jurors in July found the 28-year-old woman guilty of allowing her then-husband to abuse 2-year-old Kelsey Smith-Briggs.
In a decision filed Tuesday, her trial judge, Paul Vassar, rejected all nine of her complaints. Her new attorney, Stephen Jones of Enid, said he now will appeal to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
Kelsey died Oct. 11, 2005, at her home near Meeker. Doctors determined she died from abuse. Jurors heard testimony that Kelsey was abused for months, suffering a broken collarbone, broken legs, bruises, sexual assault and other injuries.
Smith's ex-husband Michael Porter initially was charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to enabling child abuse and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.