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Trial date set for son of Smith County commissioner, clerk in connection with arrest in public meeting

This comes after his first arraignment hearing Friday when Smith County deputies arrested him for contempt of court and disobedience of a court order.

TYLER, Texas — The trial for the son of a Smith County commissioner and the county clerk on accusations of shouting and interrupting commissioners court in May has been set for August following two arraignment hearings.

Lance Phillips, the son of Smith County Pct. 3 Commissioner Terry Phillips and recently arrested Smith County clerk Karen Phillips, was officially arraigned for his disrupting a meeting or procession charge on Monday. 

His trial has been set for Aug. 16 in Smith County's County Court-at Law No. 3, judicial records show. 

According to online records, this comes after his first arraignment hearing Friday when Smith County deputies arrested him for contempt of court and disobedience of a court order.

Credit: Smith County Jail

Lance Phillips is accused of shouting during the public comment portion of the May 9 Smith County Commissioners Court meeting. He refused to leave, went limp and was forcibly removed by law enforcement.  He was booked into jail on the disruption of a meeting or procession charge. 

That previous week, he had signed up for public comment in attempt to speak about what he called "slander" against his family. He signed up to talk about local county roads, but immediately started shifting toward his family.

Smith County Judge Neal Franklin then stopped Lance Phillips saying if he wasn't going to speak about replats on Smith County roads, he could not speak.

Lance Phillips gave what he had prepared to say on paper to commissioners court officials, asking for it to be put into the record.

After going back to the seating area, Lance Phillips interrupted Franklin as the meeting moved forward and Franklin told him to not call out from the crowd.

Prior to these incidents, Lance Phillips' mother and Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips, 65, of Tyler, and his brother Derek Phillips were charged with interfering with public duties. 

These charges come from Derek Phillips' arrest for accusations of interfering with a March 28 traffic stop when deputies tried to pull another man, Cody Voss, over for having his tail lights out, according to the sheriff's office. 

Documents allege Derek Phillips interfered with Voss' traffic stop arrest several times. Officials also said Karen Phillips grabbed a sheriff's deputy and pushed another deputy as these officers tried to arrest Derek Phillips after he ran into her home.

Derek Phillips was arrested March 28, while Karen Phillips was charged on April 4. Both have since been bonded out of jail. 

Karen Phillips and Derek Phillips have since filed multimillion-dollar lawsuits against Smith County in connection with the traffic stop. 

Karen Phillips filed a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Texas on May 30 against Smith County, Sheriff Larry Smith, the detective who investigated the case and the two deputies involved in the traffic stop.

She claims that several of her constitutional rights, including her First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth and Ninth Amendment rights, were violated on March 28. She also states that the detective wrote an official arrest affidavit with "many false statements."

Karen Phillips' lawsuit is seeking $10 million in damages. 

On May 24, Derek Phillips and Voss filed a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Texas against Smith County and the two deputies involved in the traffic stop. They are seeking $150.5 million in damages.

In the lawsuit, Voss and Derek Phillips claim the deputies infringed on Voss' right to travel and assaulted Voss. The complaint also says Derek Phillips was peaceful and recorded the stop to "address unlawful government activity."

The lawsuit claims that Voss and Derek Phillips had their constitutional rights violated during the traffic stop. They also allege the deputies tried to kidnap each of them. Voss and Derek Phillips also say a deputy struck Karen Phillips with blunt force while she was recording twice.

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