CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee county commissioner accused of threatening his opponent to drop out of the race has pleaded not guilty.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd entered his plea on the criminal extortion felony charge Friday, days after he defeated East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert to clinch his third term.
Lambert said Boyd had threatened to release negative information about him if he didn’t drop out of the race. Lambert said he recorded those phone conversations.
Defense attorney Lee Davis filed a motion to dismiss on Thursday, saying Boyd’s actions were protected political speech and that there was no threat. He wrote that Lambert intended to set up Boyd.
That motion to dismiss will be heard in June.
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Information from: Chattanooga Times Free Press, http://www.timesfreepress.com
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