A defamation suit filed by Putnam County District Attorney Adam Levy against the county sheriff who claimed Levy is trying to protect his one-time personal trainer from child rape charges can go forward, a Putnam judge has ruled.

Supreme Court Justice Lewis Lubell (See Profile) ruled on Dec. 19 in Levy v. Smith, 2019/13, that Sheriff Donald Smith is not protected from the defamation suit by absolute immunity, though he did dismiss parts of the suit for other reasons.