1973: Grand jury considers evidence against Sheriff Blackie Strout

May 23, 1973: A Scott County grand jury was convened to hear the case against Scott County Sheriff William “Blackie” Strout on charges of possession of stolen property. A U-Haul trailer and a garden tractor were found on property owned by Strout in Arkansas. Meanwhile, Strout had filed a $500,000 lawsuit against the owner of the rental agency from which the trailer was taken, and continued to maintain the charges were a political smear.