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The February 14, 2002 Edition of The Daily Herald reports:
Thomas John Smrt, 73,
of 10014 S. Grant Highway, Marengo, turned himself in to Cary police at 10
a.m. Feb. 6 on a McHenry County warrant for simple assault and battery,
according to a police report. The incident occurred on the 600 block of
Industrial Drive
Two months later
(April 21, 2003) The Daily Herald reports:
Cary businessman Thomas
Smrt may not be an ideal boss, but that doesn't make him a criminal.
That was the ruling last week from a McHenry
County judge who acquitted the 74-year-old Marengo man of two misdemeanors
stemming from his treatment of a former employee.
Smrt, who owns Cary-based Fox Valley Systems, was
charged last year with battery and disorderly conduct following a Sept. 18
run- in with former worker Deborah Powers.
According to the allegations, Smrt threatened and
screamed at Powers, then grabbed her arm while taking away her time card.
However, during a one-day trial last week, Smrt
attorney, Mark Uteg, argued his client never threatened Powers, but
engaged in a verbal dispute not uncommon between worker and boss. As for
the time card, Uteg said it was company property and Smrt had every right
to take it.
In her ruling, Judge Sharon Prather scolded Smrt
for his behavior, calling it "ungentlemanly." But ultimately,
she said, he did not commit a crime.
"I would suggest in the future you be more
careful in how you treat your employees," Prather added. "Your
actions may not be criminal, but nonetheless, if this happened, they were
not appropriate."
Last week's acquittal does not end Smrt's legal
woes. He is scheduled to return to court June 23 for a pretrial hearing on
misdemeanor battery and assault charges stemming from a confrontation with
another former employee last year.
That worker, Kathleen J. McLemore, is suing Smrt
as a result of that incident.
The Roller Coaster ride isn't
over yet! |
