Saving Boone County: Fighting For Lives In A Place Ravaged By Opioids | NBC Nightly News

As an attorney having been in that courtroom on numerous occasions, Judge Thompson and attorney Scott Briscoe are true public servants. Great that their hard work is being recognized.

That judge is one of a kind. If only there were more like him

The world needs more judges and lawyers like these two gentlemen.

That judge gets it . need more folks like him ,God bless him

"Not a place you move to, it's a place you are born in" How sad, it is so beautiful.

Drug court saved my life..I’ll forever be grateful that program exists

When people cannot afford homes and feel they have no future they are more likely to dive into drugs. Also the pharmaceutical company has done their part to keep people addicted

Grew up here but left at 16. My brother unfortunately stayed with his dad and became an addict. It's very sad.

I grew up in Roane county poor with no indoor plumbing but we always managed to have food and a roof over our head thanks to my great parents. I moved away at 20 years old and it’s been 25 years since. I had a great childhood running around in the mountains and just loving the woods and the animals. It will always be home. God Bless West Virginia and go Mountaineers!

Thank you so much for shining the light on LOVE instead of FEAR. What an amazing man Judge Thompson is knowing that the people need to know they do matter.....everyone single one of them. This touched my spirit and made it soar. Love one another.

God Bless this Judge & this attorney, how selfless they are... They could be working anywhere else but they choose to be home & help the community... 👏👏👏👏👏🌷🌷

It’s hard to believe a judge like that exists. I wish there were more💕

If every courtroom in the country had people like that judge, we would be much better off...

They are lucky to have a good man in a Judge willing to give them a chance to rebuild their lives. I wish there were more programs like this.

This place was much different before pills were dumped here. The people jumped at any opportunity to get together. Now, it feels like a community of strangers. I believe practically everyone who still lives here is here because their family lives here and they don't feel like they have anyplace else to go. The only future here is watching everything good we once knew decay even further. And I believe that fact is what truly drives the people here into the arms of dope. No community can survive the plague of hopelessness.

God-bless you judge You show your mercy to people when you will meet your heavenly father He will have mercy on you

What ticks me off is that we have the medications to get people off heroin, and they are not being given out. Legalizing cannabis would help millions, it would also help alcoholics. The main thing though is to take the addict out of their environment for at least 6 months, have them delete all people from their phone that use or sell.

Our poor state is just so ravaged by this drug epidemic. Up here in Parkersburg it is just as bad. I like what this guy is doing. We only need about 500 more of him....

That judge is a fine man ! He has a heart and he's wise .

😢 I’m not even a crier, but this story really touched me