Man shows no remorse for bilking blind mother

Scott Clark took more than $45,000 from his widowed and blind mother, but he showed no remorse and took no responsibility for the crime Wednesday in his plea hearing.

By PAT PHEIFER, Star Tribune

Last update: November 13, 2008 - 8:47 AM

Scott D. Clark agreed Wednesday that there likely was enough evidence to convict him of fleecing his mother out of thousands and thousands of dollars.

Clark, 53, entered an Alford plea in Ramsey County District Court to a charge of felony theft. The plea agreement calls for a stay-of-imposition sentence, a 30-day cap on jail time and restitution of $45,000.

An Alford plea means a defendant acknowledges there may be enough evidence to win a conviction but does not admit guilt.

Clark showed no remorse and took little responsibility for the crime, and that's what troubled his younger brother and sister-in-law, who sat on the opposite side of the courtroom from Clark as they waited for his case to be called.

"I'm just glad this part of it is over," Todd Clark said after the hearing. "It's been a long road."

Clark's mother, Lorraine, is legally blind. She had her eldest son's name put on her checks so he could pay her bills, but she didn't know he was using her money for other things until Todd Clark told her that her phone had been disconnected. When she tried to fill a prescription, she learned her medical insurance had been cancelled. Later, her Meals on Wheels was cancelled.

Scott Clark was accused of making his mother sign a quit-claim deed to her home. He then took out a second mortgage and a $29,000 reverse mortgage, according to court documents and family members. He also ran up more than $20,000 in credit card debt in his mother's name.

He used some of the money to buy an expensive TV and hundreds of CDs and DVDs. He used most of it to feed his meth habits, Todd Clark said.

Todd Clark and his wife, Sandy, helped draft the plea agreement. "It means more to us to see restitution for our mother than to see him do jail time," Todd Clark said.

The $45,000 restitution is just "the tip of the iceberg," Todd Clark said. But their mother is happily living in an assisted living facility, he said, and wants to keep a no-contact order against Scott Clark in place.

Defense attorney John Riemer told District Judge Margaret Marrinan that Scott Clark has been diagnosed with severe mental illness.

Pat Pheifer • 651-298-1551

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