Son of Smith County commissioner removed from court

TYLER — The son of the Smith County clerk who was accused of interfering with deputies during an arrest, and Precinct 3 Commissioner Terry Phillips, returned to commissioners court Tuesday morning and was arrested for disruption of a meeting. According to our news partner KETK, this is the second week in a row, Lance Phillips has attended the Commissioners Court meeting. The previous week, he was speaking in court defending his family against slander but was removed from the podium because he wasn’t commenting on the agenda item. Before court Tuesday morning, The Smith County Sheriff said Judge Neal Franklin spoke to Lance Phillips about the court’s rules.

“To make sure he was going to be on point to make sure he was parallel with the court where he was able to speak, but it has to be about one of the agenda items,” said Sheriff Larry Smith. Lance had a written speech with him.

Before it was his turn to speak, a woman who was in the court with Phillips brought up problems about the county jail. When she started addressing Sheriff Smith directly, Judge Franklin intervened telling her that she had to stick to the agenda. “I’m gonna have to stop you there because you are still talking to the sheriff and it’s against decorum,” said Judge Franklin. The court said she wasn’t following the rules and she was removed from the podium.

In the background, Phillips was heard speaking to the court. “When the judge had the sheriff go over there and dismiss her and shut her down before her three minutes, all I said was ‘let her speak, let her speak,’” said Phillips. This caused a disturbance inside the courtroom and deputies went to remove Phillips from the room. “When the bailiffs were coming and he sat down from the pew on the floor with his back to the wall and made the officers have to literally carry him out the courtroom,” said Smith.

Lance Phillips was arrested, booked and charged with disrupting a meeting.

“I would love to free some innocent people from jail. I think if that’s what God has planned for this, let’s get all of the corruption from the top down,” said Phillips. He also adds that he wanted to address major issues in the justice system. “This [Smith County Jail] is the throwaway place. The mental illness, brown and black people get thrown away more than white people,” said Phillips.

Sheriff Smith said the behavior in court will not be tolerated. “If he acts like he did today he’s gonna wear out the hinges on the door in the jail,” said Sheriff Smith.

Phillips said he will continue to try and address the situation at Commissioners Court every week. “Until I can get what I’ve said to you on the record, I will be there. If they want to arrest me every time then so be it,” said Phillips.

Lance Phillips has a court date soon and told KETK he plans on pleading not guilty.