There's been another delay in the trial of a Massachusetts man accused of attacking a Maine State Trooper in a Wiscasset courtroom last spring. The trial of William Harrison, 40, of Charleston, Mass., won't take place in February as planned, because the only judge scheduled to be in Superior Court is the one who has removed himself from the case.

Justice Jeffrey Hjelm recused himself from the case months ago. Hjelm presided over the trial of Gregory Vrooman, the trooper accused of sexual crimes against a young relative of Harrison's. Sentencing Vrooman following his convictions, Hjelm said the courtroom attack led him to measurably reduce Vrooman's sentence.

“Mr. Vrooman is the victim of someone who chose to exact their own version of justice, and who thought that he was bigger than the justice system,” Hjelm said at the time.

Harrison pleaded not guilty October 3 to aggravated assault.

Harrison's trial had earlier been set for December 2012. But the District Attorney's Office and Harrison's lawyer jointly asked for more time to review eyewitness statements and other evidence.

Instead of coming to Superior Court February 4 for the docket call to have his trial scheduled among others for February, Harrison is now set to  be in District Court February 6 at 1 p.m., for a status conference on his case. A district court judge will preside over the conference.

No new trial date has been set.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.