State Supreme Court upholds ‘three-strikes’ life sentence handed down in Clallam

OLYMPIA — The state Supreme Court has upheld a life sentence without the possibility of parole handed down in 2010 to a Port Angeles man convicted of a “third-strike” felony in the 2009 burglary of a Clallam County home.

The court ruled 5-4 Thursday to uphold the conviction and sentence of Alvin Leslie Witherspoon, 39, affirming an earlier state Court of Appeals decision in the case.

Witherspoon was convicted by a Clallam County Superior Court jury in April 2010 of second-degree robbery, residential burglary and witness tampering, according to court documents.

The robbery charge was the third of Witherspoon’s eligible convictions that would automatically render a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Witherspoon had earlier convictions for first-degree burglary and residential burglary armed with a firearm in Snohomish County, according to John Troberg, Clallam County chief criminal deputy prosecuting attorney.

These led to the “three-strikes” designation.

Witherspoon is listed on the roster of the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla.

He was convicted of burglarizing a home off Blue Mountain Road on Nov. 12, 2009, at about 2:40 p.m.

Court records gave this account:

When the homeowner returned unexpectedly, Witherspoon came around the house with one arm behind his back, according to the charging documents.

He told the homeowner he had a pistol. The homeowner later found that the front door of the home had been pried open.

The homeowner followed Witherspoon after he sped away in a maroon car with his pregnant girlfriend.

The homeowner reported the license number to dispatchers.

Witherspoon and his girlfriend were later arrested at a trailer park along U.S. Highway just east of Port Angeles.

Five days after the incident, Witherspoon phoned his girlfriend from inside the Clallam County jail and tried to persuade her to fabricate a story about a fictitious hitchhiker burglarizing the home.

In 1993, Washington voters were the first in the nation to pass a Three Strikes, You’re Out law, with more than 76 percent of voters approving Initiative 20 to deal with repeat serious criminals.

The law says that anyone convicted of a third serious felony is to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

________

Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.

Reporter Rob Ollikainen contributed to this report.

More in News

Claus Janssen, left, and Glenn Jansen, members of Port Townsend Urban Sketchers, sketch the fountain at Manresa Castle in Port Townsend. The group chooses a different location every month and meets at 10 a.m. and sketches until noon. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Urban sketching

Claus Janssen, left, and Glenn Jansen, members of Port Townsend Urban Sketchers,… Continue reading

Chimacum location selected for a pool

Public facilities district could change site

Port Angeles school board agrees on salary for next superintendent

Directors say $220K will help them in competitive search

Nellie Bridge.
Clallam County names second poet laureate

Two-year term set to begin in April

Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers Elle Macy, center, and Dylan Wald take their bows with pianist Paige Roberts Molloy at Sunday’s Winter Ballet Gala. Roberts Molloy played Beethoven’s Sonata in F minor, the “Appassionata,” as Macy and Wald danced across the Port Angeles High School Performing Arts Center stage. (Diane Urbani de la Paz/for Peninsula Daily News)
Taking a bow

Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers Elle Macy, center, and Dylan Wald take their… Continue reading

Kathy Downer, a Sequim City Council member, resigned on Jan. 13 to spend more time with family. She was elected to office in 2021 and reelected to a different position in 2023. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Interviews are set for Sequim opening

Special meeting Feb. 3 for council candidates

Kindergartener Zoey Griffin eats lunch with classmates in Amy Skogsberg’s class. For most of Greywolf Elementary’s history, students have eaten in their classrooms as the school was built without a dedicated cafeteria. A bond proposal includes building a cafeteria at the school, improving its parking lot and bus loop, and updating its air handler and heating units. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim schools bond would include cafeteria at Greywolf Elementary

Transportation center also needs attention, staff say

Layla Forêt is the new market director for the Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market. She formerly served as marketing manager. (Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market)
Sequim Farmers and Artisans Market hires director

Forêt has worked in marketing for past decade

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading

Commander R.J. Jameson, center, exits the change of command ceremony following his assumption of the role on Friday at the American Legion Hall in Port Townsend. (Elijah Sussman/Peninsula Daily News)
Naval Magazine Indian Island sees change in command

Cmdr. R.J. Jameson steps into role after duties across world

Allen Chen.
Physician officer goes back to roots

OMC’s new hire aims to build services

f
Readers give $111K in donations to Home Fund

Donations can be made for community grants this spring