A motion to dismiss the criminal charges against a former Maryville Police officer was rejected and a date for trial set by Knox County Criminal Court Judge Emily Abbott Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Shaina M. Kirkland, through defense attorney Andrew Varney of the Garza Law Firm, moved to dismiss the two counts of harassment which a Blount County grand jury indicted her on in April on the grounds that Kirkland had not had direct contact with either of the two complainants. Rather, all contact between the parties, Varney argued, had been, by complainants’ own admission, through an uninvolved third-party.
It’s a similar defense to the one which Varney proffered during Kirkland’s last hearing before a judge pro tempore in January — and it too failed, although not for lack of merit this time…