Hearing Postponed For Ex-Councilman

A court hearing for a prominent Coeur d’Alene man charged with molesting a 14-year-old boy has been postponed for the third time.

Bob Brown, former chairman of the Kootenai County Democratic Central Committee and a former city councilman, was charged with lewd conduct for allegedly molesting his step-grandson.

Brown was scheduled to have his preliminary hearing on Monday.

But the hearing was postponed for the third time this week, said Lamont Anderson, the Idaho deputy attorney general prosecuting the case.

Brown was charged with lewd conduct in May. The preliminary hearing was first postponed in June to give the attorneys more time to prepare.

It was again postponed in July because Brown was seeking alcohol treatment at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane, according to court records.

Next week’s hearing was postponed after Brown’s attorney, Tim Gresback, said he would not be in town for the hearing.

A new date has not yet been set.

Brown, who was the head of Kootenai County’s Democratic party at the time of his arrest, was asked to step down from that position.

He then voluntarily removed himself.

Mike Blackbird temporarily stepped in as chairman until Linda Payne was elected in July.

, DataTimes