County celebrates 20 years of drug court this month
Staff is from left, Gibson, Billy, Byrne, Denise Carlee, Pizzotti, Glenn Carlee and Anderson. Hartley not shown
Megan White and Christy Yoder had their lives turned upside down by opioid addiction but today both women are drug free, have good jobs and credit Escambia County, Alabama's drug court for getting their lives back together.
This month marks the 20th anniversary of drug court in Escambia County, which was started by then Circuit Judge Bradley Byrne in 2002. Although retired as one of the county's two circuit judges, Byrne continues to oversee the drug court program.
Since its inception 599 people have entered the program, 408 have had graduated, 186 failed and were sentenced out and five have d...