Oktibbeha County Justice Court Judge C. Martin Haug continued the simple assault trials of Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Superintendent Lewis Holloway and his neighbor, Roy Couvion, after agreeing to a motion seeking additional investigation time after new evidence emerged.
The two men were in court Thursday, each facing simple assault charges stemming separate incidents last year.
Haug and the men’s attorneys did not discuss the nature of the additional investigation needed.
A court date was not set.
Holloway was charged with two counts of simple assault by threats in August after he allegedly fired a gun into the air during a dispute with his Mt. Olive Road neighbors. A minor was present during the incident.
After his arrest, Holloway filed charges against Couvion, alleging Couvion hit him in the jaw and pushed him to the ground in May.
Both men turned themselves in to authorities without incident after arrest warrants were issued.
Jackson Brown, the Oktibbeha County board attorney, was named special prosecutor after County Prosecutor Haley Brown recused from the case last year.
Haley Brown recused since the August incident involved Lt. Brett Watson’s daughter. Watson is the lead investigator with the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department.
Former Justice Court Judge Jim Mills also recused from the case at the request of former special prosecutor George Mitchell. Mitchell was then forced to recuse after Gov. Phil Bryant named the Eupora-based attorney to a slot on the 5th Circuit bench.
Holloway was placed on administrative leave by the SOCSD Board of Trustees but allowed to return to his post in September.
His arrest led some SOCSD stakeholders, including NAACP President Chris Taylor, to call for his removal from the school district.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Carl Smith is married to Oktibbeha County Prosecutor Haley Brown, who is the daughter of Jackson Brown.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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