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Article published Aug 5, 2004
School official cited as abuse victim
JANET S. SPENCER
Staff Writer
The husband of the
Spartanburg School District 2 trustees chairwoman was charged with criminal
domestic violence eight days before she went to jail on the same charge.Connie
Jean Smith's status on the board remained unclear Wednesday.The date for her
trial had not been set. She will probably continue to serve at least until then.
The governor's office said it was not involved in a review of her arrest."In
cases where a grand jury issues an indictment for a crime of moral turpitude,
the governor's office can suspend an elected official," said Will Folks,
spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford.But the disposition of Smith's case in
magistrate court does not involve an indictment, he added.Smith did not return a
telephone request for an interview.She was arrested Tuesday after she said she
agreed to meet her husband at their business, Mike's Plumbing, to discuss
details of their divorce.Her husband, Michael Jack Smith, 51, of 612 E. Harbour
Crest Drive, Chesnee, said after his wife became angry and left, he locked a
gate to keep her out, but she returned and tried to force it down with her
vehicle.When she got out of her vehicle, Mr. Smith accused her of hitting him in
the face with gravel from the driveway.A witness listed on the report as James
E. Adams Sr., 53, of Gaffney said he saw Mrs. Smith reach to the ground with
both hands but did not see her throw anything at her husband.She was released
from the Spartanburg County jail Tuesday night on a $1,000 bond.Mr. Smith was
released from the Spartanburg County jail July 26.Warden Larry Powers said Mr.
Smith posted a $1,000 bond five hours after his arrest on the charge of criminal
domestic violence that named his wife as the victim.A condition of his bail was
that he must not have any contact with his wife.Mrs. Smith said in a report to
sheriff's deputies that she went to an Inman residence that day to retrieve
marital property from a truck in the yard.She told deputies that as she unloaded
the vehicle into the U-Haul truck she drove, Mr. Smith drove into the yard and
rammed the truck she was in.Mrs. Smith said her husband got out of the truck he
drove and pushed her. She had a cut on her bottom lip and a mark on her neck,
deputies noted in the report.Mr. Smith told deputies he rammed the truck because
he was unable to stop his vehicle. Deputies said there were no skid marks.He
also told deputies that he picked Mrs. Smith up and moved her out of the way
instead of shoving her.According to the report, Mr. Smith had no prior
convictions for criminal domestic violence.Janet Johnson Mabry, who said she
helped Mrs. Smith in her successful election to the school board in 2001, said
the efforts to settle the divorce are unfortunate."I work now with Connie in the
Band Booster Club at Chesnee High School, where our sons are students. I have
talked to her this morning and last night. I cried with her. I'm worried, but I
know she is strong in her Christian faith. She'll get through this," Mabry
said.Mabry said it was ironic that after talking with Mrs. Smith about the
difficult divorce just several days ago, she bought her a card and wrote her a
nine-page letter of support."She's trying with everything she has to overcome
this. She has a lot to offer this community and its children. I worry about her,
and I support her 100 percent," Mrs. Mabry said.Mrs. Smith taught history in
District 7 before she was elected to the District 2 board.She received an
undergraduate degree from Wofford College and a master's in teaching from
Converse College.Janet Spencer can be reached at 562-7222or
janet.spencer@shj.com.