The trial set for Brundidge City Councilman Arthur Griffin, facing assault charges, has been continued.

Griffin’s trial was scheduled to take place in the Coffee County District Court today, but after a request from his attorney Joe Lampley, of Hunstville, the trial will be pushed forward.

Lampley filed a motion for continuance, saying he had a scheduling conflict and could not be in court Thursday. No new date has been set at this time, but the next trial dates are in August, so it will likely be pushed to then.

Griffin faces trial after pleading not guilty to charges of assault third degree, which come as a result of a traffic stop involving Alfred Schultz, of Ozark.

Schultz signed a warrant for Griffin’s arrest in April claiming Griffin assaulted him by “shoving a shotgun into his neck while (he) was in handcuffs,” read the warrant filed in court.

The incident is alleged to have taken place in Coffee County. Schulz’s wife, Anna Schultz, told The Messenger in a previous interview that her husband was followed from his job at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center by someone in a truck.

The alleged incident ended across the Coffee County line, when Anna Schultz said the Brundidge Police Department pulled her husband over, told him to get out of his vehicle and handcuffed him.

Assault third degree is a misdemeanor charge, and if Griffin is convicted he will likely not be removed from office.

That’s according to Ken Smith, general counsel for the Alabama League of Municipalities.