Two years after she was accused of stabbing a man with a pocket knife in Centralia, Charlotte Norton has successfully completed Lewis County Superior Court’s Mental Health Court program and had her case dismissed.
Judge James Lawler formally dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled, in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday.
“As you can imagine, from this chair, I don’t see a lot of good things happen, but this is one of those things,” Lawler said during Norton’s final review hearing on Thursday.
“It’s been a very transformative two years for her,” said Mental Health Court Program Coordinator Sophia Limacher. “She has really been able to find herself through this process.”
Norton thanked her support system of family, friends and program staff for helping her through the process.
“All my life, I believed I couldn’t achieve anything because of pain and loss and trauma,” Norton said Thursday. “I am truly blessed. Something very bad happened but turned out very well for me thanks to this mental health program.”
Like Lewis County Drug Court, the Lewis County Superior Court Mental Health Court program gives certain defendants an opportunity to have their felony charges dismissed if they successfully complete the program.
Deputy Prosecutor Joe Bassetti pointed out that Norton has been in compliance at every review hearing she’s had for the mental health court program.
“I know this program is not easy, but you made it look easy,” Bassetti said Thursday.
In addition to having her case dismissed, Norton received a certificate and a commemorative coin.
“I’m very excited to see where you go from here,” Lawler told Norton on Thursday.
