TOP PHOTO: This is LaFollette Mayor Mike Stanfield from Sunday, October 20, 2019, as he was clearing debris from the parking lot of the recently flooded Faith Way Assembly of God.

JACKSBORO, TN. (WLAF)-  Following a brief hearing yesterday, LaFollette Mayor Mike Stanfield will be seeing some of the documents the state of Tennessee has in his misconduct case.

Stanfield is currently facing nine criminal charges, which include official misconduct.

Nathan Nichols, the special attorney general appointed to prosecute the case, agreed to allow Stanfield’s attorney, Steve Hurst, access to specific information surrounding the allegations lodged against the mayor.

For each count filed against Stanfield, Hurst has asked for specific dates, names of others involved as well what benefit was allegedly obtained by Stanfield in the committing of the acts. Also included in this line of inquiry is a request for the disclosure of the statements allegedly made by Stanfield such as how he directed a city employee to provide false information to state officials and the words he allegedly used to retaliate against then city administrator Jimmy Jeffries.

In a second motion, a request was filed to examine sealed documents in the matter. Within that motion, Hurst said the state has filed sealed documents in the case but will not allow the papers to be seen with prosecutors citing an ongoing investigation as the reason for the non-disclosure. Yesterday, Nichols said the state would allow Hurst to see those documents but would not be allowing a broad dissemination of them. Another party is named in those sealed documents but has not been charged, Nichols said.

In September 2020, Stanfield was indicted on seven counts of official misconduct, lying to a state auditor and retaliating against the employee who reported him to the state comptroller’s office.

Currently, he faces seven felony and two misdemeanor charges. If convicted of a felony, Stanfield would have to vacate his position as mayor.

Stanfield appeared alongside Hurst yesterday clad in a City of LaFollette shirt. While his case has been docketed multiple times, this was the first time Stanfield appeared in court.

The case will be called for review Aug. 23. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED- 6/10/2021- 6 AM)