Rita E. Palmer was ordered to serve 17 days in the Summit County jail - one day for every year of the 17-year-old victim's life.

Joseph Hunter died shortly after midnight on March 17, after Hunter, two other teens and a 20-year-old man consumed all but a few ounces of the half-gallon of Seagram's Canadian Hunter whiskey.

Palmer had pleaded guilty in 3rd District Juvenile Court to supplying alcohol to a minor, a class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to one year in jail.

In exchange for her plea, a count of class B misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor was dismissed.

Defense attorney Tyler Ayres reminded Judge Mark May that 20-year-old Abram R. Kenter - who was drinking with the three teens that night - was ordered to serve only 10 days in jail when he was sentenced two weeks ago.

The judge replied, "Ms. Palmer is the adult who supplied the alcohol, and that led to the death of a young man."

Summit County Attorney David Brickey noted, "None of this would have happened if Ms. Palmer had used some common sense."

Palmer, who did not address the court, wiped at tears several times during the hearing.

Ayres said Palmer "recognizes her role in this event. She regrets this more than any of us could understand. This will be with her the rest of her life."

On the afternoon of March 16, Palmer bought the liquor for a 15-year-old boy with whom she worked at a toy store.

Hours later, the dead boy was discovered by a sheriff's deputy who had spotted Kenter and two other boys putting Hunter into Kenter's car after Hunter collapsed at the Coalville rodeo grounds.

The officer ordered the others out of the car, then found Hunter unresponsive on the back seat, according to charging documents.

Prosecutor Brickey said the two surviving juveniles were charged with being minors in possession of alcohol and spent time at detention centers varying from two days to a week.

Kenter had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and underage alcohol consumption.

In addition to jail time, Kenter must pay a $250 fine and attend a mental health program. Palmer was fined $1,500.

Both defendants must write letters of apology to the victim's parents, who were not in court Friday but had written to the judge.

Calvin Hunter, a Summit County resident, said he was devastated by the loss of his son, but he asked for leniency for Palmer, who had "demonstrated compassion and sincere involvement in our family's recovery."

Sabrina Hunter, who lives in Ohio, wrote that she cries herself to sleep at night, and that "a part of me is dead."

The mother asked the judge to sentence Palmer to 17 months in jail, and said Palmer should have been charged with negligent homicide.

Brickey said his office could not find enough of a "connection" between Palmer and the victim to justify harsher charges.

shunt@sltrib.com