Kidney donor gets out of jail after paying part of child support

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (AP) -- A man who donated his kidney to someone he met over the Internet was freed from jail Tuesday after he paid part of his delinquent child support.
Robert Smitty was jailed Thursday over $8,100 in unpaid child support, eight days after the kidney transplant operation. He was released Tuesday after paying $1,150, authorities said. A payment plan for the rest of the debt will be set up.
Smitty's attorney, Bill Speek, said anonymous donors had contributed $2,650 toward his release.
Web site match
Smitty donated his kidney to Colorado resident Bob Hickey, 58, on Oct. 20 after the men met through MatchingDonors.com, a commercial Web site that matches potential donors with people needing transplants.
Doctors went ahead with the operation only after the 32-year-old Smitty assured them that he did not profit financially from the organ donation.
Smitty's former wife has custody of their 10-year-old daughter. He also has a child with his current wife.
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