Harkins' Sentence Modified
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
A local woman makes an appearance in court today. Ottawa County is releasing her after serving only 11 months in prison. Patty Harkins took the stand today in her own defense asking the judge to modify her sentence and set her free. The judge in the case agreed and modified her sentence to 15 straight weekends in jail. In addition Harkins will have to perform 500 hours of community service along with one year of supervised probation. Patty Harkins has been serving jail time since early last year for the murder of her husband, Ottawa County Sheriff Jack Harkins. While on the stand today, Harkins refused to talk about the details of what happened the night she stabbed and killed her husband, but she did say she loved him very much and wished he were here today. She also for the first time stated that Jack Harkins was abusive, but not violent toward her. Harkins will also take anger management classes, pay for her incarceration, and have a nightly curfew.
