Jury Selection in Sheriff's Trial Begins Today

Lincoln County Sheriff Timothy L. Daugherty (right) in Caldwell County
during a manhunt in 2008. The Sheriff's trial begins today with jury selection. File Photo/TCS

By Jon Mayhew (Lincolnton)
A jury pool of about 300 people have been selected in the trial of Lincoln County Sheriff Timothy L. Daugherty, which gets underway today.

The pool is so big, in fact, the jury will first meet on the first floor of the James W. Warren Citizens Center according to assistant district attorney Gwynn Radeker.

Radeker told The Carolina Scoop Friday afternoon after the jury sees the instructional video, they will be sent across west Courtsquare to the Lincoln County Courthouse. The trial will be held in courtroom three.

Radeker said he expects jury selection to run through Tuesday. The trial, meantime, may be in the hands of the jury by late Thursday or Friday morning.

Daugherty faces two felony counts of obstruction of justice and a misdemeanor charge of lying to an investigator in a case involving Lincolnton physician Dr. Daniel Senft and a traffic stop conducted by Sgt. Steve Dombrowski in 2007.

Former Chief Deputy Barry Taylor was tried and convicted of misdemeanor obstruction of justice in September 2009. Taylor took Senft from Dombrowski's custody, allowed the doctor to sober up, then released him. Taylor's appeal was denied earlier this year.

Daugherty was charged after the Sheriff testified in Taylor's case of when he knew of the incident. He has also given conflicting statements in media interviews with several outlets including The Carolina Scoop.

The outcome of Daugherty's trail will determine whether or not the Sheriff's removal hearing will be an uphill battle or a matter of procedure.

A “guilty” by the jury on the felony charges will mean the Sheriff's removal from office will ensure the Sheriff is a one-term Democrat. However, a “not guilty” will make Lincoln County's case for removing the Sheriff much harder.

Calls late last year by Lincoln County Commission chairman Alex Patton for Daugherty to resign fell on deaf ears. In an interview last year with The Carolina Scoop, Daugherty said he is not resigning from office.

The Sheriff's removal hearing is set for February 22.

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