The mess over Rogers City Attorney Ben Lipscomb continues to grow.
KFSM reports that Benton County Prosecutor-elect Nathan Smith has said he won’t certify Lipscomb to handle misdemeanor criminal cases in local court because he’s announced he’ll refuse to plea bargain. This would produce chaos, Smith said, so he’s deputizing others to handle criminal cases in Rogers, a departure from past practice.
Lipscomb instituted the no-plea-bargain policy in retaliation for the city’s decision to strip Lipscomb of responsibility for handling civil matters and providing legal advice. He’s filed a lawsuit over that decision.
The city contends Lipscomb is not a legal resident of Rogers.
Lipscomb drew attention earlier for getting cited for allegedly flashing law enforcement ID to get preferred seating at a concert. He was investigated, but no charges were filed. A variety of other matters came up in a separate city probe, including the finding that Lipscomb was claiming a homestead tax credit on property outside the city limits. And then there’s this recent city dispute involving a police call made from Lipscomb’s home.