Judge denies shorter term for inmate

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OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- A judge refused to shorten the sentence of an Oklahoma woman jailed for beating another woman to death in 2007, court documents said.

Oklahoma County, Okla., Associate District Judge Richard W. Kirby was asked Wednesday to remove 20 years from the 35-year prison sentence of Leeann Marie Piatt, who has been jailed since she was convicted, at age 16, in the beating death of Cindy Forrest, then 43, the Oklahoma City Oklahoman reported Monday.

Piatt spent two years in a juvenile facility and was nearing release when she failed a drug test and was sent to prison. She has spent the past year in a county facility for women, court documents indicated.

Kirby denied the request after hearing testimony from workers who have treated Piatt, and two recorded telephone calls between Piatt and her mother. In one call, made the day prior to the hearing before Kirby, Piatt can be heard saying, "I can't tell them I'm a changed person when I'm not," to which her mother responded, "Get up there and act like you're remorseful," the newspaper said.

"The court believes the same Leeann Piatt is standing here before me today," Kirby said before denying the sentencing request.