Drug charges in Crawford County Circuit Court against Fort Smith physician Jimmy Acklin have been dismissed after his co-defendants took responsibility for the drugs found in the home they shared with Acklin.
Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune said he asked Circuit Court Judge Mike Medlock to dismiss the charges after co-defendants Jerry and Michelle Thomas signed affidavits exonerating Acklin and taking sole responsibility for the drugs.
Medlock granted the request on Thursday.
Acklin was charged in September with “manufacture” of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court records.
Also charged with the same offenses were Jerry and Michelle Thomas, who shared a home with Acklin at 1535 Pleasant Mountain Road in Crawford County.
Acklin has been with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Arkansas Health Education Center in Fort Smith since 1986 and has been director of the residency program there since 1997. Center Director Don Heard said at the time of Acklin’s arrest that he was in charge of the program that trains physicians who are going into familypractice medicine.
He was placed on administrative leave after his arrest, and the Arkansas State Medical Board suspended his license in October.
McCune said a representative of UAMS called him Friday morning to inquire about the dismissal of the charges because Acklin was to have had a hearing before the medical board.
Messages left for a spokesman in the medical board office about Acklin’s case were not returned Friday.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 02/09/2013