A Marion mother who asked county officials to reduce her $7,195 civil restitution lien so that she can build a harvest market, was told she will still owe $650 for the 13 days ($50 per day) that she was not an inmate worker during her 75-day stint at the Marion County Jail in 2014.
On Tuesday, February 4, Heather Carter asked the Marion County Board of County Commissioners to forgive a civil restitution lien associated with her incarceration in 2014.
Carter, who said she has been sober for 11 years, served 75 days of a 90-day sentence for driving under the influence (third offense) in March 2014.
Before she arrived to offer comments, the commissioners made a motion to approve a reduction in the lien from $7,194.95 ($50 x 75 days + $2,744.95 in interest) to $650, or $50 for each of the 13 days during Carter’s sentence in which she was not a worker inmate.
Carter made her way to the podium shortly after the motion was made in an effort to have the entire lien removed.
“I have built my life back. I have made financial investments,” said Carter, who was visibly emotional and nervous as she addressed the board. “I’m grateful for my family, the community. I try to advocate for other people suffering from addiction.”
Carter, who has been sober for 11 years, says she became addicted to opiates after a surgery and that took her for a “wild ride.” She said she just got her license back last year and has raised a 4-year-old and 17-year-old child without a license for ten years.
The mother of two said she is trying to build a harvest market business at a property in Anthony. She said that she was saving aggressively to make that business a reality.
“Every cent I can save towards this market would be very much appreciated,” said Carter.
After Carter finished making her comments, the commission voted unanimously to reduce the lien to $650.
In August, a stay-at-home mother and widow, whose sole source of income is monthly Social Security payments, agreed to pay $25 a month towards a $2,800 civil restitution lien that commissioners reduced from $20,000.
In that case, the mother, Susan Baccili, had worked 199 days of the 255 days that she was incarcerated.
When inmates are incarcerated, they fill out an application to become an inmate worker. These applications are available to them upon their arrival in a housing pod.
Before they can attain work, they must undergo a medical screening and a clearance check to determine their qualifications. That process can take upwards of a week or more, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.