GREENWOOD — The Mississippi Supreme Court is rejecting a physician’s argument that Attorney General Jim Hood is illegally performing law-enforcement duties.
The high court on Thursday voted 8-0 to reject Dr. Arnold Smith’s appeal claiming the attorney general is part of the judicial branch.
The Greenwood Commonwealth reports that the former oncologist has pursued numerous lawsuits against officials since his 2012 arrest and indictment on charges that he hired a man who made a failed assassination attempt on Greenwood attorney Lee Abraham. The man was killed by investigators for the attorney general.
Smith was found mentally incompetent to stand trial and involuntarily committed to the state mental hospital at Whitfield. He was released in 2016 and receives court-ordered treatment from his Jackson home.
Abraham’s civil suit seeking damages from Smith is stalled.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.