LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Metro Councilmember Anthony Piagentini is back in Metro Council court for the second time this month. This time, it's to see if two out of his eight charges will be dismissed.
His attorney, Brooken Smith, argued the two charges were accusations of misconduct.
"Charges 7 and 8 should be dismissed because they're unconstitutional, but they're also profoundly unwise," said Smith.
Kent Wicker, who represents the charging committee, told the Council court it is their burden to prove whether or not misconduct had occurred.
"The only question is, are the acts, which will be proven misconduct, it may or may not be criminal," Wicker said.
Before council members voted whether to drop the two charges, they were able to ask questions about the process.
After deliberating privately for nearly an hour, council members came back inside to cast their votes.
"A vote on the motion to dismiss count 7 and then a vote on count 8," Metro Council President Markus Winkler said. "The motion to dismiss is denied; both charges remain."
Councilwoman Shameka Parrish-Wright was one councilmember who voted the charges shouldn't be dismissed.
"I am voting no because I think that they should stand and the legal team should do their job and prove otherwise," she said.
Piagentini will face a full trial by his fellow councilmembers on eight different ethics violations.
The trial will start nearly one month from now, on Monday, Feb. 26.
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