Pictured from left to right are: State’s Attorney Denton W. Aud, White County Associate Circuit Judge Mark R. Stanley, Nichole Bassemier, Probation Officer John Unfried, Substance Abuse Counselor Paula Lawrence, and Carmi Chief of Police Jason Carter. Not pictured are Circuit Clerk Kelly Fulkerson, Public Defender Rhonda Blades, and Assistant State’s Attorney Chris Neal.
“In 2015, Nichole Bassemier was arrested for the class 4 felony offense of Obstruction of Justice. Nichole was in a dark place that many in our community find themselves with little hope and little direction of escaping, a dark place known as addiction. Class 4 felonies can be punished by 1-3 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. In the darkness, Nichole was ready for a change, and she bravely took a chance for that change by taking full advantage of the offered opportunity of changing her life by being placed on Drug Court Probation, which is an intense probation that focuses on helping those suffering from addiction to overcome their struggles and live a drug-free lifestyle.
Drug Court Probation consists of the probationer meeting regularly with the Drug Court Team and with the probationer completing long-term inpatient treatment, attending aftercare outpatient services, frequently submitting to drug and alcohol screening, obtaining employment, and paying their fines and court costs. For most people suffering from drug addiction, being sent to prison is the simpler path. Nichole has successfully completed her Drug Court Probation after completing everything asked of her. She has worked hard and fought to get where she is and is on the path to having a successful life.
At her Drug Court Graduation on Wednesday, March 14th, Nichole first stated that she wanted to apologize to the community for any and every wrong that she had done. Nichole went on to say that Drug Court has saved her life and thanked everyone who has been there for her, which included the members of the Drug Court Team, her counselors, her friends, and her family. All of the members of the Drug Court Team and others in attendance also lauded Nichole one after another for what she has accomplished and the joy in seeing her success while reminding her that she deserves all of the credit. The ceremony ended with Judge Mark Stanley informing Nichole that pursuant to the terms of Drug Court Probation and her successful completion thereof, the probation was discharged and that her case was now dismissed.
I, along with the rest of the Drug Court Team, could not be happier or prouder to see where Nichole has gotten herself. She displayed a degree of humility and grace at the graduation ceremony that perfectly illustrates the maturity she has developed and the person that she has become. Nichole is proof that we should remember the difference between the criminal who is out wreaking havoc by knowingly and intentionally battering others or stealing or damaging property (i.e. directly interfering with the natural rights of others) with the non-aggressive addict who has dug themselves into the hole of addiction that can seriously harm themselves and others indirectly by their abuse of substances prohibited by legislative decree: one needs to be locked up; the other, who is nonviolent towards persons and property, needs to be helped through treatment if they desire to change. Nichole is an inspiration to many, and I pray that she and her family continue on this path of success.”
Story and photo credit to Denton Aud
