KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Knox County Property Assessor Phil Ballard is seeking to have his misconduct case dismissed, court documents obtained by 6 News show.
Following an investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office earlier this year, Ballard was charged with official misconduct for alleged misuse of county-owned vehicles. This investigation also resulted in two official misconduct charges for former Director of Trustee Operations Jason Dobbins.
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Ballard’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss the case, contending that the process by which his case was chosen for prosecution denied him equal protection under the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions. The motion points to discovery materials provided by prosecutors that reference similar conduct by other Knox County officials who were not charged.
“The decision to investigate and subsequently elect to prosecute the Defendant in this case was not the result of a random selection nor was it the result of a justifiable procedure,” the motion states…