Sheriff McFadden claims 'smear campaign' amid removal petition and juvenile center debate

<p>Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden dismissed a petition seeking his removal as a "smear campaign" on Tuesday before participating in a panel discussion about the county's closed juvenile detention center, as mounting questions about his leadership intersect with debates over juvenile justice policy.</p><p>The panel was convened to address misconceptions about why the detention center was closed, the challenges of reopening it, and the requirements for bringing it back online. But the discussion unfolded against the backdrop of fresh allegations against …