LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. -- Lincoln County Sheriff Tim Daugherty will not be suspended while he awaits trial on charges of obstruction of justice and lying to investigators.
A judge ruled Friday that Daugherty poses no risk to the public and is still capable of doing his job.
The charges -- and the reason why the county wanted him suspended -- stem from Daugherty allegedly helping a doctor get out of a drunken driving arrest two and a half years ago.
County attorneys, wanting a suspension, say voters and law enforcement workers have lost confidence in Daugherty.
"We think it's the proper thing to do to keep the confidence of this community and their law enforcement when their chief law enforcement officer stands indicted for these serious charges," said attorney Ed Hinson.
Daugherty's attorneys argued voters have the right to keep their guy in office and working until the results of his trial are known, and also until Daugherty's hearing and the results of a hearing for Daugherty's removal scheduled a week after the trial.
Daugherty's opponents say this is about the sheriff allegedly helping a friend get away with a crime by applying the "good old boy" network instead of the law.
Daugherty's trial is scheduled for January.
"This is the kind of thing that makes people wonder why anybody runs for public office. You look at the last two and a half years of anybody's life and you can find something that you can go after and criticize them for if you want to," said Daugherty's attorney, Sean Devereux.
"If, at any time, political moves can be made and an elected official can be removed from office then why, pray tell, do we go to the polls and vote?" said Daugherty supporter Lillian Richardson, who is also a member of the local Democratic Party.
Richardson says an attempted suspension is political -- Republican commissioners wanting a Democrat sheriff gone.
Commissioners have asked for Daugherty's resignation and want him suspended. Daugherty has refused to resign.
