TYLER, Texas — Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips was booked into county jail Friday after she choose jail time over her one-year probation.

She will spend 30 days in jail for interfering with public duties. This stems from interfering with her son Derek Phillips' arrest that happened in March 2023.

On March 28, 2023, Derek Phillips confronted the deputy conducting the stop for another man, Cody Voss’, tail lights being out. Documents explained that Karen Phillips grabbed a sheriff's deputy and pushed another deputy as these officers tried to arrest her son after he ran into her home.

A jury found her guilty back in 2024 and a judge gave her one year of probation on Aug. 26, 2024.

But on Friday, she choose to give up her probation sentence in exchange for the original sentence of 30 d

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