Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston and all General Sessions Court judges have recused themselves from the sign-stealing case against school board candidate and former Chattanooga City Councilman Larry Grohn.
Grohn, an unsuccessful Chattanooga mayoral candidate in 2017, allegedly stole $710 worth of campaign signs belonging to the Democratic candidate for district attorney, John Allen Brooks.
“Mr. Grohn is a former elected official and is currently running for a county office and, to avoid any possible appearance of impropriety, the Hamilton County General Sessions Court judges unanimously felt they needed to recuse themselves,” Jan Horne, court administrator for the Hamilton County General Sessions Court, said in an email.
Grohn, a Republican now living in East Ridge, was originally scheduled to appear before Judge Gerald Webb on Friday, but the Supreme Court of Tennessee ordered July 14 that Marshall Raines Jr., a General Sessions judge in Marion County, would hear the case, including any post-trial matters. Grohn’s trial is now scheduled for Aug. 23 in Marion County.
At the motion of Pinkston to allow his office to be recused, the Hamilton County General Sessions Court issued an order Wednesday temporarily appointing Judge Kevin Allen of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference to prosecute the case. Pinkston declined to comment.