Smith County DA Granted Recusal from Commissioner’s Case

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham has been granted a request to be recused from the case of a Smith County commissioner. According to KETK, on May 19, the 241st Judicial District Court granted the Smith County DA’s motion to be recused from The State of Texas vs. Joann Hampton and ordered the appointment of a district attorney pro tem. Prosecutor Chris Martin, from the Van Zandt County District Attorney’s Office, has been selected to represent the state in place of Bingham’s office. Hampton turned herself in at the Smith County Jail on one count of injury to an elderly individual.

The charge stemmed from an incident on April 2, 2017. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a possible assault at the Spring Creek Baptist Church located in the 13000 block of County Road 46. The victim reported JoAnn Hampton came into the office of the pastor where the victim was having a meeting with him and Hampton began shouting at her. She also said Hampton pushed her down causing her to fall against a chair and injure her wrist. The victim was treated and released from a local hospital. Hampton was released from jail the same day of her arrest on a $10,000 bond.