Twelfth Of Ongoing Series

BIRD IS THE WORD

Joan Gets Two Weeks in Jail for Offering Lies, Crude Hand Gesture to Judge Lane

Note: The following article is the 12th in a series regarding the creation
of 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.

Lie to the judge about having used methamphetamine and go to jail for a
week. Surreptitiously flip him the bird on your way into custody and get
another week for contempt. That was the message Joan received just moments
after she failed a drug test she submitted during Monday afternoon's
session, marking week 12 of drug court.

In general, it was not a good week for the women of drug court. Theresa,
Amy, and Vicki were sentenced to jail along with Joan, though their
sentences were not as severe. The women will spend four half- days that
began Thursday evening at 6, all for lying to the judge about using
methamphetamine. Cathy was the lone female participant to get through the
week with flying colors.

Nobody's week was as bad as Joan's was however, and after three weeks in
the program she hasn't shown any commitment to quit using, much less abide
by the strict regimen that all participants must meet.

She missed the required three 12-step meetings and was late to her
counseling sessions. "We have a problem with you missing things," said
Fifth District Judge Robert Lane before ordering the woman to submit to a
urine drop.

When it came up dirty, Joan told Lane she was "embarrassed" to admit she
used earlier in the session. Lane sentenced her to a week in jail, not for
her relapse but for lying and failing to meet the other conditions of drug
court. On her way to the jury box where the bailiff would handcuff her,
Joan offered Lane the crude gesture by apparently pretending to scratch her
ear with her middle finger. "Make it two weeks for what you just did," Lane
said. Joan must have regretted her inability to control her impulses,
because she was seen crying before going to jail.

Vicki, Theresa and Amy also tested positive during the week, and initially
denied using meth. Amy came dangerously close to being kicked out of drug
court - and going to prison instead - for comments she allegedly made
during a recess. Amy reportedly bragged how she was using drugs all of the
time and getting away with it, a charge she hotly denied. Lane gave her the
benefit of the doubt, but made it clear his patience was wearing thin.

There are signs, however, that Amy does want to remain in drug court and
beat her addiction. She has found a job and obtained an identification
card, as ordered to do last week.

Theresa was also ordered to submit to a urine drop during Monday's session,
and it came back positive. She changed her story and admitted to using
after having "a really stressful week. I wanted to quit everything and just
leave."

"You have to be honest," said Lane, after telling Theresa he understood her
frustration.

"It's hard to be honest when you can't be honest with anyone. All I've done
my whole life is lie."

Because Theresa met the other conditions placed on her, Lane gave her the
half-days rather than a full week in jail. Vicki tested dirty, and offered
a strange explanation. Vicki said a friend invited her over to see if a
substance she had possession of was meth or an ingredient used to dilute
the potent street stimulant.

Vicki said she snorted the substance and didn't think it was meth. She was
wrong. The four half-days Lane gave her in jail for lying marked the second
time she's used and lied about it.

Among the men, John was the only one to relapse - and he freely admitted
the fact to Lane. John didn't have a dirty test, he just didn't bother
showing up to offer a urine drop. "I figured why waste one of their cups,"
he said. "I have a problem when things go wrong in my life. I can't stay
clean." He said he regretted using.

Lane told John he failed both of his tests, since missing a UA is
considered a positive result. Lane said John also tested positive in the
test he did submit a drop for. It was a statement John didn't agree with
and respectfully suggested the test's result was a false positive. Lane
later acknowledged he misread the report and apologized to John.

Because he was honest about his relapse, the judge did not send John to
jail time. He did order him to attend twice as many 12-step meetings this
week, however, and warned him another relapse would mean jail. On Wednesday
John and the judge had a date for lunch. The judge offered to pick up the
tab to make amends for the false accusation. A clean test is not to be
taken lightly in drug court.

And then there were the stars, the people who have shown an earnest desire
to get clean. These are the people that define the promise of drug court,
and that is the opportunity to avoid a felony conviction - and beat an
addiction to a destructive drug.

Joe became the second participant to advance to phase two of the three-part
program, and what a story. Formerly homeless with no prospects and headed
for prison, Joe has never failed a drug test, has made his meetings and
counseling sessions, and has found fulltime work here in town.

He's involved in the Church of the Harvest and its youth choir, and has
proven himself to the drug court team. Joe will be one of the participants
in tonight's gospel concert at Pahrump Valley Vineyards. The show starts at
7 and costs $10 for adults and $5 for children between 6-17. Children under
five-years-old will be admitted free. Proceeds will go to the R.O.C.K.
S.T.E.A.D.Y. Youth Center sponsored by Pastor Stan Goldsby.

Fred, the first participant chosen to advance to phase two a couple of
weeks ago, continues to shine. He thanked Lane for the copy of Charlie's
Monument the judge gave him at the time; saying the book was inspirational.
Lane gave Joe a copy on Monday.

Fred said he has been trying to reconcile his past since he entered drug
court, and it almost cost him his freedom. The man went to pay an old $115
fine at Pahrump Justice Court and found out he had a warrant. He paid the
fine, but not before he was hooked and nearly booked.

Greg and Cathy continue to do well. The handsome couple is expecting a
child, and seems to be doing fine. Both tested negative, though Greg
continues to come up positive for traces of marijuana. He denies using, but
admitted earlier his past drug use was copious.

Dennis and Paul also had good weeks. Dennis said he turned down an offer to
use, and admitted doing so wasn't easy. "It's hard to change after using
drugs for 18 years," he said.

Paul said drug court was "helping him out a lot," but his urine tests more
like water than urine, according to Lane. Paul agreed to pay for his own
full-screen lab test so the drug court team has a better picture of any
residual drugs in his system.

Clearly, week 12 was not a good week for the women of drug court, but Lane
and the team have not given up on anyone. Perhaps somebody might have to
get kicked out and sent to prison to send a message that drug court should
be taken seriously - and only works when the participant truly wants to
quit using speed.