Robin Hope Easterday, 24, pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree controlled substance charge Monday morning, admitting to Judge David Christensen she provided methamphetamine to Jeremy Darville before his death in February.
"I gave drugs to Jeremy that night," she said from the stand. "Methamphetamine."
As per the plea agreement, charges of fifth-degree controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed.
According to Murray County Attorney Paul Malone, sufficient evidence could not be found to prosecute Easterday for Darville's death. An omnibus hearing was rescheduled several times while the courts waited for evidentiary results. In the end, Darville's death was ruled an overdose.
"Too much meth," Malone stated.
ADVERTISEMENT
After researching a supreme court case, Malone reviewed his findings with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office and also pursued other theories.
"Acquiring and preparing it jointly is not the same as if she had administered it," Malone explained. "We had insufficient evidence to prove actual administration of the drug."
No agreement was made on the sentencing -- that will be decided following sentencing guidelines after the pre-sentence investigation is done.
Easterday was arrested in February after authorities responded to an emergency call at a Mill Street address in Slayton. Upon arrival, they found Darville receiving CPR. Easterday told authorities she and Darville throughout the day had been smoking marijuana, taken an ADHD prescription drug and injected meth.
When she was arrested, Easterday had a drug case pending in the Murray County court system stemming from a marijuana case. She later pleaded guilty to a fifth-degree controlled substance charge. She has been held in the Nobles County Jail without bail since June and now faces a probation violation.
"We were going to ask for a bail reduction or that she be released on her own recognizance," defense attorney Louis Kuchera told the judge Monday.
Christensen set bail at $20,000 and said if she is unable to post bail, she may do community service or Sentence to Serve work between now and her sentencing date, which is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 8.
