Enfield
Paulette Dunbar, who lives across the street from the club’s Shaker Hill Road shooting range, was charged on April 22 with simple assault after she allegedly grabbed David Stewart’s cellphone during a break at the April 18 meeting.
Dunbar on May 2 pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge.
Dunbar appeared in front of a Lebanon District Court judge on Tuesday to potentially resolve her case without a trial, but a plea deal that was on the table didn’t go through.
Her attorney, Charlie Buttrey, said he was set to ask a judge to place Dunbar’s case on file without a finding, something he explained as “virtually dismissing” the charge.
Police prosecutor Christopher O’Connor said he couldn’t go forward with the deal because he hasn’t yet OK’d it with Stewart, something he has to do per state statute.
Though the deal is still on the table, Dunbar said she will take nothing short of a straight dismissal of the case.
The plea deal would specify that Dunbar comply with conditions and remain in good behavior for a certain period of time, stipulations she said she isn’t going to stand for.
Instead, she said, she’d rather proceed to trial.
“She wants a chance to explain herself,” her longtime partner, Donald Plante, said while standing next to a quiet Dunbar prior to the start of the hearing.
According to a recording taken by Stewart at the April Selectboard meeting in Enfield, the incident took place during a recess of the board and shows Dunbar grabbing for Stewart’s phone, blocking its camera lens and pushing the device upward. Stewart’s recording has the camera trained on Dunbar and Plante for the majority of the meeting.
Stewart previously said he doesn’t think he did anything to provoke Dunbar.
At the close of Tuesday’s hearing, Buttrey asked the judge to schedule Dunbar’s case for trial. When exactly the bench trial will begin is unclear; Buttrey said it likely will take place in four to six weeks.
April’s incident wasn’t the first time Stewart, Plante and Dunbar have had dealings with one another.
In January, Plante filed a court petition for injunctive relief against the Enfield Outing Club, saying the club has violated Enfield’s zoning ordinance by expanding use on its site.
Dunbar has said she feels anything but safe in her home because of the increasing number of people using the range and the use of the range by outside organizations.
The civil matter is ongoing.
Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.