Courts

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manding, as a district judge “you’re putting in a lot of time anyway” with often discouraging results, says Gustafson. “I’d rather put in extra time at the front end to see somebody do better and not come back again.”

She started a felony drug court in Yellowstone County – the state’s largest and most populous judicial district – and between May 2008 and October 2020, they’ve tracked significant improvements in families’ lives. Among participants, the court saw a 40% increase in the number of adults getting valid driver’s licenses and a 55% jump in the amount of education their children received, and of the 220 babies born to participants, 91.6% were born drug free.

In Manley’s courtroom those statistics were translated into life experiences. Danny, sober for 1,054 days, has custody of his 4-year-old daughter and works at KwaTaqNuk; Angie has 1,243 days of sobriety under her belt, will complete her bachelor’s degree in social work next year, and serves as assistant drug court coordinator. Juanita, who was a meth addict for 29 years, has been sober for two years and 10 months, will graduate in June with an associate degree in chemical dependency counseling, and is the house mother for the women’s sober living center in Ronan.

Two men – Patrick Matt and Alex Finley – graduated from Drug Court May 19, and each was introduced by Judge Manley before sharing their stories.

Matt, a performing artist and community activist, told attendees that there’s often talk of the need for a drug treatment center on the Flathead Reservation. “Prior to my participation in drug court, I did not know there were so many people in the fight for sobriety, and that there were people, walking it out day in and day out, really making a difference,” he said. “What I’ve realized is every person in this room that’s part of drug court is a walking treatment center.”

The program itself is demanding and transformative, and he called the leadership “exemplary.”

“One of the best things is that you do it alongside people who are walking it out – just like you – people who have taken the journey before.”

Manley introduced Finley as “maybe the toughest guy I know, but he may have also had the toughest upbringing of anybody I know.”

Finley explained that he’s been in and out of the court system for two decades, since he turned 18. “A lot of us Native people felt we were just thrown to the wolves back then, locked up and the key thrown away.”

But drug court has helped him turn his life around and resume responsibility for his six children. “I wouldn’t have my kids, I wouldn’t have my family and I probably wouldn’t have my life if it weren’t for Judge Manley and this program,” he said.

“I’ve embraced it with everything that I am, to change, to be an example, and not just for my kids but for the ones who are struggling and don’t think they can make it.”

“Honestly, if I can do this, you all can do this,” he added. “Believe in yourself because you’re worth it, and drug court and the people in it do care. You have all the support you need in this program.”

As a Native, Finley grew up feeling “like we were not given a fair chance at all in this community – our own home, our own land.” His experience with drug court gave him that chance. Those who succeed “have proved that we are worth it, that our families are worth it, that we can do it and that we can be great citizens of our own community.”

Gustafson, who visits drug courts across the state, says that while each has “its own character and differences, they all develop a really strong community with participants. You have to hold people accountable, but you’re also empowering them to change their lives and engage with other people who have walked the same journey.”

She advises Manley’s successor to first recognize that people with substance abuse disorders are dealing with a disease, and often relapse. “You have to expect that, work through that and teach them about their disease so that they can manage it.”

Unlike in a standard courtroom, judges also need to directly engage with participants. “You get much better results if you spend at least three minutes talking to them and interacting with them,” she advises.

“It’s still a courtroom and we’re still doing important work in here, but the work we’re doing and how we’re doing it is just slightly different.”

She expressed admiration for the cultural component of Lake County’s program and how it’s helped build such a vibrant recovery community for Native Americans. She also noted that several people attending drug court had yet to be formally inducted. “It tells me that the recovery community is reaching out to people who have problems and they’re seeing court as a resource.”

“It’s wonderful to come here and see that,” she added. “We’re definitely going to miss Judge Manley.”

KRISTI NIEMEYER Justice Ingrid Gustafson gives retiring District Court Judge Jim Manley a plaque from the Montana Supreme Court in honor of his many years of service, both as a judge and as an attorney.

Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

Haworth sentenced to 20 years for vehicular homicide

POLSON — An Arlee woman who pleaded guilty April 7 to vehicular homicide while under the influence was sentenced at District Court in Polson on May 26 to 20 years in the Montana State Women’s Prison with 10 years suspended. The sentence for Shannon Sierra Haworth, 19, was handed down exactly two days shy of the anniversary of the death of Ryan Lefthand.

According to court records, just after midnight on May 28, 2021, as a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy was returning to the Lake County Courthouse in Polson, the deputy observed a vehicle approaching with no headlights on. The deputy made a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver, later identified as Haworth, seemed distraught and admitted to consuming alcohol earlier. As the deputy was waiting for back-up to arrive, Haworth took off south bound on U. S. Highway 93 at a high rate of speed.

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Stories by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal

Haworth

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The deputy lost sight of Haworth’s vehicle. Other law enforcement officers intercepted the vehicle as it traveled through Pablo with speeds reaching up 120 miles per hour. Pursuing law enforcement officers were unable to close the gap between them and Haworth. Haworth’s vehicle moved into the northbound lane and struck another motorist head-on, killing Lefthand, the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, instantly. Haworth, who made her initial court appearance in August 2021 while confined to a wheelchair with visible injuries to her lower extremities, had to be airlifted from the scene of the crash to an area hospital.

Judge Karen Townsend also ordered Haworth pay restitution to the Lefthand family. Although the amount of restitution was not pronounced by Judge Townsend, Lake County Attorney Steve Eschenbacher says it’s just over $72,000.

vj

Glass sentence deferred

POLSON — The imposition of sentencing for a Polson man caught with fentanyl hidden in his body was deferred for three years. Jimmy Justin Glass, 41, was given credit for time served of 146 days during his sentencing hearing at District Court in Polson on May 25.

Glass was booked into the Lake County jail on New Year’s Eve. He entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on April 6 to felony charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs. The plea was entered as part of a plea agreement that dismisses one count of felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

According to charging documents, on Dec. 30, 2021, law enforcement officers were paged out to a report of loud music coming from a newer white Toyota 4 Runner parked at a trailer park in Pablo. The responding officers observed the suspected white Toyota traveling away from the trailer park and could hear loud music coming from it. The officer initiated a traffic stop on the Toyota. Glass was identified as the driver. He told the officer that he was on probation from Idaho and was the designated driver as his passengers were consuming alcohol. The officer placed Glass under arrest and brought him to the Lake County jail. Meanwhile, a passenger of the Toyota indicated that Glass was trafficking counterfeit fentanyl pills into Lake County from out of state. A foul

odor in the Toyota led investigators to believe that someone may have attempted to hide pills inside their body. Back at the jail, detention staff had Glass relieve himself in a dry toilet. That’s when they allegedly located a baggie containing blue fentanyl pills and other non-bagged, or “loose” fentanyl pills. Prosecutor James Lapokta Jimmy Glass wrote in charging documents that Glass “risked fatally overdosing by concealing pills in his anus to avoid being caught.” Judge James Manley also issued Glass a fine of $1,000.

Mother and son sentenced for involvement in Blackweasel death

POLSON — A mother from St. Ignatius and her adult son were sentenced, one right after the other, at District Court in Polson on May 25 for their involvement in the death of 18-year-old Saul Blackweasel last January.

Rope Kinkade Ardis, 20, was sentenced to the Montana State Prison for eight years with none of that time suspended on one count of vehicular homicide while under the influence. His mother, Roberta Virginia Asencio, 40, had the imposition of sentencing deferred for three years and was ordered to serve 30 days in jail. She learned her fate after her son was already led out of the court room in handcuffs to start serving his time. The sentences were handed down by Judge James Manley. It was Judge Manley’s last day serving the 20th Judicial District.

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