Fourteenth Of Ongoing Series

RELAPSE FORCES DENNIS TO BEG FOR DRUG COURT LIFE

Judge Questions Man's Commitment But Allows Him To Stay In Program - With
Strict Conditions

"Quit calling me sir. That's just (prison) boot camp training. It means
nothing," the judge said. "You have no intention to get clean, do you?"

Note: The following article is the 14th in a series on the Fifth Judicial
District Drug Court Program recently implemented in Pahrump. Because drug
court is designed to treat addiction rather than prosecute users as is done
in criminal courts, the identities of participants will be altered for
purposes of confidentiality; their photographs will not be printed.

The desperation in Dennis' voice on Monday afternoon in drug court was
painful to bear witness to; it was a mournful wail, an angst-ridden cry for
help.

Or was it?

Jailed by his probation officer on July 19 for testing positive for meth
twice in one week, Dennis appeared before Judge Robert Lane and the drug
court team and begged them to keep him in the program.

Lane, for one, expressed serious doubts regarding the man's sincerity. "I
want to stay in the program, sir." said Dennis when he took his turn at the
podium, shackled and clad in the orange-and white-striped wardrobe of a Nye
County inmate.

Lane had not asked a question of Dennis, so it was obvious the man thought
he was on his way out of drug court and on to prison. "Quit calling me
sir," Lane said. "That's just (prison) boot camp training. It means nothing."

"Yes sir," responded Dennis before stammering, "I've found some things (in
drug court). I was clean for 31 days. That's a significant amount of time
... for somebody's that's been a drug addict for 18 years."

"You have no intention to get clean, do you?" Lane accused, a comment that
seemed to put Dennis on the edge.

"I need this program," he pleaded. "It's what's saving my life." When Lane
reminded the man he has a history of relapses, Dennis explained, "I agree.
I need to change my playgrounds and change my playmates."

Those are buzz words of the addicted, to be certain, but Lane gave the man
the benefit of the doubt, but not before laying down some additional ground
rules above and beyond the guidelines Dennis' peers in the program must
follow. Significantly, Lane imposed a 9 p.m. curfew on the man, and
promised he or someone else on the drug court team would call his house to
ensure he was home.

Lane said he might even call at 2 a.m. Dennis' sister, with whom he lives,
told the judge to "feel free to call." The woman is well aware of her
sibling's addiction, and the fact that his dependence has cost her brother
first his freedom, and then his family.

Dennis eagerly agreed to abide by the curfew. "I need to get clean," he
said. "I want to get clean. I've seen things I've never seen before."

In addition to the imposition of the curfew, Lane ordered Dennis to jail
for the week. "We're going to start micromanaging your life," advised the
judge.

"That's what I need, sir," Dennis responded. "I get with the bad people."

Lane also ordered him to "get a real job" when he gets out of jail Monday
morning at 8. Dennis misled the drug court team regarding his employment.
He was working, though under the table. Drug court participants must work
at legitimate businesses, and sometimes even that isn't enough when meeting
the obligations of drug court must be a participant's chief priority.

John, for instance, has a construction job in town. On Monday he was
ordered to appear at the state Division of Parole and Probation at the
county jail on Basin Avenue for one of his two weekly mandatory drug tests.
There is no leeway given in such circumstances, a missed or late urine drop
is considered a dirty test. John found himself in a quandary when he called
probation officer Robert Raymond at 8 a.m. Monday for his daily check in.
Raymond ordered John to submit to the test, and that presented a dilemma.

John's boss told the man he could leave the job site and go for his urine
drop, but by doing so he would be replaced. John's presence was crucial to
the job since the crew was putting up trusses, and John's boss would have
lost money if the project had to be suspended for an hour or more while the
man fulfilled his obligation to drug court.

John was given a day in jail over the weekend as a sanction, and might have
to find employment with a more sympathetic boss. That could prove to be
difficult at many businesses since employers generally hire personnel
because they need them to be there to perform a function. Other employers
have shown the willingness - and the ability - to be more flexible and have
hired participants.

Still other businesses have contributed gift certificates in recent days,
ranging from dinner to a manicure, to the drug court team in response to
the creation of a rewards program. John was not one of those to receive
kudos from the drug court team, but regardless of his problems trying to
balance his employer's needs with his duty to the court, John had one of
his better weeks since becoming the first offender accepted into drug court
in May.

He made his 12-step meetings and counseling sessions, and his drug tests
were negative. John has made progress in counseling, and has found a
supportive sponsor in his 12-step meetings.

Progress was also seen in Theresa, who received a dose of real life drama
July 18 when her grandmother was transported by Mercy Air to Las Vegas. The
woman remains in critical condition for undisclosed causes, and the strain
was evident in Theresa's voice.

The young woman candidly told Lane she "wanted to get high" as a means to
cope with the trauma, but was able to resist temptation. That might be why
she was able to find employment, make her sessions and 12-step meetings,
and submit two clean drug tests. It was the first truly successful week
Theresa has had in drug court, and she received a certificate and a round
of applause.

Then there is Fred, who is one of two participants to excel in the program.
Fred is in phase two, which means he only has to attend court sessions
every other Monday. He has opted to attend every week, however, and seems
to have become a role model for his peers. Fred's wife is in rehab and has
been for several weeks. He advised the drug court team she has progressed
to the point of receiving privileges, and the couple can now communicate
via telephone for five minutes each evening.

They will enjoy a six-hour face to face visit in the coming days.
"Everything is going great," advised Fred. "We're happy. Well, we're not
happy that we're not together, but other than that things are positive."

Once his wife completes rehab, she hopes to gain acceptance into drug
court. The ultimate goal of the couple is to reunite with their children
some day. Both of them are involved with state officials regarding that
objective.

Drug court's other consistent star, Joe, has also come a long way since
entering the program a couple of months ago. Homeless and using meth on a
regular basis earlier this year, Joe has abided by all of the conditions of
drug court since day one. Not only has his urine been drug-free, he has
made his counseling sessions and 12-step meetings. Shy and more than a
little reticent when he first came into the program, Joe, who is also in
phase two, has fulltime work and has obtained a vehicle in need of a little
work. Now he needs to get a driver's license per an edict handed down by
the judge.

Don also had a good week, but traces of marijuana continue to register in
his urine tests. Greg paid to have a comprehensive lab test taken and will
pay for another one in two weeks so the drug court team can determine if
the level has dropped.

Lane told Don he was "close to going into phase two" once he has six weeks
worth of negative drug tests. The judge said the drug court team's
counselors have said Don was a good guy, and asked him how he was resisting
the temptation to use. "Just leaning on my wife," he said.

Cathy is Greg's wife and if she stays on her current path it is possible
she could be the third drug court participant to advance into the second
phase. Each week the evidence of the woman's pregnancy becomes more
pronounced, and it is obvious she has put her baby's needs first. She
continues to test clean and has exhibited a positive attitude both in drug
court and with her counselor.

Vicki's up and down performance in drug court was definitely on the rise
this week when she passed her drug tests, made her sessions and 12-step
meetings, and performed nearly 20 hours of community service.

Lane misread the report regarding her urine drops and indicated Vicki had
failed one of two. Raymond corrected the judge, which came as a great
relief to the woman. "Be still my heart," she exclaimed, while fanning her
face at the podium. Vicki was congratulated for having a good week, and was
strongly encouraged to keep up the good work.

Paul was given similar kudos. He, too, tested clean and met the other
conditions of the regimented program with the exception of missing a
12-step meeting due to running out of gas. Paul has a large family and
earns slightly more than the minimum wage. Paul's excuse, while
understandable, held no more merit than what was stated by John. A miss is
a miss, and Lane ordered Paul to perform eight hours of community service
at the animal shelter.

Perhaps sensing she was about to be released from jail after flipping the
bird to Lane two weeks ago, Joan was nervous to the point of giddiness in
drug court on Monday. "I'm feeling better than I was two weeks ago, " she
said to Lane, unable to stifle a giggle.

The judge had some good news for the young woman. He released her from jail
and told her she had a job waiting for her beginning at 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Joan thanked the judge, and advised Lane and the drug court team she wants
to continue in the program. Why? "Because it's helping me," Joan said,
before alluding to the July 8 hand gesture she offered the judge and the
subsequent two weeks in jail when she said, "I needed a swift kick in the
butt." She walked away from the podium with her shackled hands held firmly
at her sides.

"Liz" was the latest drug court defendant to be accepted into the program.
Her story will unfold in the coming weeks, along with her peers who also
profess a deep desire to quit meth and get clean. Time will tell.

Meanwhile, participants will get a break of sorts next Monday. The drug
court team is scheduled to receive additional training and Lane opted to
cancel the next session rather than ask a different judge to preside. In
the meantime, participants must meet the remaining obligations of the
program. One counselor will be available, and there would be someone at
parole and probation for urine drops.