THE MISSISSIPPI SUPREME COURT WILL DECIDE IF A BOLIVAR COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
JUDGE SHOULD BE PUBLICLY REPRIMANDED AND FINED. THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON
JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT TODAY, CHARGING 11TH CIRCUIT COURT
JUDGE ALBERT B. SMITH THE THIRD WITH WILLFUL MISCONDUCT IN TWO FORMAL COMPLAINTS
FILED WITH THE COMMISSION AGAINST JUDGE SMITH. ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS
OBTAINED BY ABC SIX, THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY
AS CIRCUIT JUDGE IN TUNICA COUNTY, PRESIDING OVER THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
VERSUS RICHARD BEETON. THE COMMISSION FOUND THAT SMITH WAS DISCOURTEOUS TO THE
DEFENDANT DEETON AND HIS BAIL BONDSMAN MARSHALL SANDERS, WHICH RESULTED IN
SANDERS BEING FOUND IN CONTEMPT OF COURT AND ORDERED JAILED. THEN IN 2009, WHILE
IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE IN TUNICA COUNTY, THE COMMISSION
SAID JUDGE SMITH'S DEMEANOR DURING THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI VERSUS LESLIE MURPHY
AND STATE OF MISSISSIPPI VERSUS KEITH ALLEN WOODS WAS CONFRONTATIONAL AND
DISCOURTEOUS TO COUNSEL. DEFENSE ATTORNEY ROBERT LITTLE AND TUNICA COUNTY
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY CHARLES B. GRAVES WERE FOUND IN CONTEMPT IN COURT WHICH
RESULTED IN FINES FOR BOTH MEN AND IMPRISONMENT FOR GRAVES. THE COMMISSION SAID
ALL THREE MEN, SANDERS, LITTLE AND GRAVES WERE GIVEN SANCTIONS THAT WERE WRONGLY
IMPOSED.