The Ellis County Press: Charges against Phil Smart dropped

Charges against Phil Smart dropped
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Editor on 01/11/2007 00:00:00


SHERRY LONG
_News Editor_
WAXAHACHIE - Charges against Phil Smart were dropped last Thursday, Jan. 4 when
he appeared in the Ellis County Court at Law No. 2 in Waxahachie.
Smart, a Libertarian, ran unsuccessfully against Republican incumbent Kip
Averitt for District 22 in November.
Smart was arrested in October after officials said he violated his probation
when stopped by a Red Oak police officer for a traffic violation.
The officer alleged Smart had illegal drugs in his possession, found during the
stop. Smart was officially charged with one on possession of a dangerous drug
and another civil charge of possession of a controlled substance.
'Sometime ago I provided evidence that these were actually my own personal
prescriptions,' Smart said.
'I do believe by living here for as long as I have, there's definitely no
coincidence that every time I ran for office, I get arrested on some [phony]
charge.'