In Littleton (Colo.) Municipal Court July 11, 12-year-old Marisa Gohr was sentenced to 90 days of probation for unlawful retention of library materials from the Edwin A. Bemis Public Library.
Marisa’s father, who did most of the talking during the five-minute hearing, said Marisa had given overdue notices to her mother—his ex-wife, with whom he shares custody—and that he hadn’t known about them until the court summons arrived. When Judge James Kimmel asked Marisa how she pleaded, she whispered, “guilty,” the Denver Post reported July 12.
Library officials said they sent several notices and called the girl before sending the summons. Deputy City Attorney Alan Katz noted that under 1% of cases are for overdue library materials. “This is a last-ditch effort to try and get books back,” he said.
Marisa will have to return to court if she has any overdue books during her 90 days of probation. “Marisa is scared to check out books,” her mother, Norma Gohr, said. “This whole situation is ridiculous.”
Posted July 15, 2002.