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WATCH: Lance Phillips, son of Smith County elected officials, held in contempt during commissioners court meeting

Franklin said he needed to call him judge in the commissioners courtroom. Phillips responded by saying, "You can call me chosen one, if we're playing pretend."

TYLER, Texas —

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE

Lance Phillips, the son of Smith County Pct. 3 Commissioner Terry Phillips and Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips, is facing additional charges after he was held in contempt of court while speaking during the public comment portion of commissioners court Tuesday morning. 

During the regular Smith County Commissioners Court meeting, Lance Phillips signed up to speak about three agenda items: a proclamation for sexual assault awareness month, another proclamation for National Public Health Week and the Smith County Jail operations. 

However, once he started speaking he went off topic. Lance Phillips began his comments by saying he is with God and recited a Bible verse from the book of Ephesians. 

Smith County Judge Neal Franklin then told him to stay on the topics he requested to speak on. Lance Phillips asked for the clock to restarted and told Franklin to stop interrupting him. 

Franklin asked him to continue the agenda item. To which Lance Phillips responded, "Can you tell me where I went wrong on the agenda item, Neal?"

Franklin said he needed to call him judge in the commissioners courtroom. 

Phillips responded by saying, "You can call me chosen one, if we're playing pretend."

The courthouse deputies then began to apprehend Lance Phillips, who continued to shout, flip off and yell at the judge and commissioners. 

Franklin motioned to hold Phillips in contempt, issue a $25 fine and that he spend 24 hours in jail. The court approved the request with Lance Phillips' father Terry Phillips choosing to abstain from the vote. 

However, judicial records say in addition to contempt, Lance Phillips has been hit with other charges:

  • Assaulting a public servant
  • Contempt
  • Hinder proceedings by disorderly conduct
  • Resist arrest, search or transport

His bond was set at $200,000. 

Conditions of his bond include:

  • Restriction from entering Smith County commissioners courtroom while commissioners court is "in session" 
  • Restriction from any room that immediately adjoins the commissioners courtroom
  • Restriction from any rom or adjacent rooms at any location where commissioners are meeting with a quorum as a court

The conditions define "in session" as 30 minutes prior to, while in session and 30 minutes after commissioners court adjourns. Violating these conditions could result in Lance Phillips' arrest.

Credit: Smith County Jail

Last November, he took a plea deal and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. That stemmed from his disruption of a meeting arrest in May 2023 that was also during the public comment portion of the Smith County Commissioners Court meeting. 

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