Hatchers court appearance reset
By Joel Davisof The Daily Times Staff
Originally published: September 06. 2007 3:01AM
Last modified: September 06. 2007 12:12AM
The initial court appearance of former Blount County Magistrate Dustin Hatcher, accused of taking lewd pictures of a 17-year-old girl while working for the county in late 2006, has been rescheduled for Sept. 13.
Joe Costner, Hatcher’s attorney, asked Circuit Court Judge Mike Meares Wednesday to move the hearing at the request of Special Prosecutor Al Schmutzer Jr., who had a family emergency. Meares granted the request. He set the hearing for 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 13.
Hatcher is charged with sexual activity involving a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The alleged victim was named in the indictment, but due to the nature of the charges she is not being identified by The Daily Times.
The first charge against Hatcher stems from an incident that allegedly happened on or about Nov. 30 at the Blount County Justice Center. Hatcher, 25, Sevierville Road, Maryville, is accused of calling the 17-year-old girl into his office and coercing her into putting on lingerie so he could take pictures of her.
The charge centers on the allegation that Hatcher took pictures of the girl’s bare breasts. A civil suit filed last December against Hatcher, his father — Blount County Circuit Court Clerk Tom Hatcher, Blount County and the clerk’s office, was settled by the county on Jan. 10 for $45,000.
Dustin Hatcher resigned from his post as magistrate — a person who signs arrest warrants, approves some search warrants and sets bonds — on Dec. 2. According to Blount County Jail records, he is free on a $25,000 bond.
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