Judge Burt Smithart of Eufaula, AL; ethical gremlin

The state of Alabama presented provided Lindsay P. Schneider  with a law license in 1989 after he graduated from the University of Alabama Law School.

The Alabama Justice Project has alleged in a January 2015 ethics complaint that Judge Smithart is guilty of the following misconduct. 

The complaint involves Judge Smithart’s conduct in a case involving former Alabama football player Will Dickerson who is charged with murder and robbery in the death of Willie Pugh. Dickerson continues to maintain he’s innocent and has been imprisoned for over three years awaiting trial. The ethics complaint goes on to allege that Judge Smithart:

• Prevented Dickerson from gaining access to discovery files in his case
• Denied Dickerson access to his constitutional right to examine and inspect evidence that DA Ben Reeves has compiled against him
• Made a terroristic threat against Dickerson
• Smithart issued court order on Feb 19, 2012 (pending for 782 days) that has never been followed
• Engaged in improper public comment on pending and impending proceedings
• Failed to faithfully follow the law
• Failed to act with professional competence
• Failed to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary
• Incompetent [Moronic] in the administration of his court

It has been said that Judge Smithart has acted in collusion with the DA in an attempt to force Dickerson to accept a plea deal for a crime that many believe he did not commit. Numerous members of law enforcement say this attempted coercion is being done in order to protect those that did in fact murder Willie Pugh.

In early January 2015, Dickerson’s trial was removed from Barbour county after a DA staff member leaked false and misleading information to a WTVY (Dothan, Alabama) reporter in an overt attempt to prejudice the jury pool.

All that remains now is to see what if any punishment the enablers for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Alabama Supreme Court mete out to Judge Smithart.

As we speak (ca. February 2015), Judge Smithart continues to sit as the presiding judge of the Barbour County Circuit Court.