Briley's Court Hearing Postponed

Briley's Court Hearing Postponed

LEBANON, Tenn. - State Rep. Rob Briley won a small victory in court Wednesday.

Prosecutors reduced one of the felonies he faces to a misdemeanor.

The Nashville Democrat faces charges stemming from a hit and run car crash in September in Watertown. The arrest was caught on tape.

Briley still faces charges in connection with that traffic stop. The charges include a felony.

Briley's preliminary hearing in Wilson County was postponed Wednesday for three weeks.

He is accused of evading arrest and drunken driving after leading police on a 100 mph chase and failing a roadside sobriety test.

Attorney Frank Lannom said Briley had a broken elbow that caused a lot of pain when the police's dash cam video was taken.

"And he's receiving treatment for that. He's also actively receiving treatment for substance abuse issues and for the other childhood abuse issues that he recently made public," Lannom said.

The claims appeared in a Nashville newspaper, but they were never verified.

Prosecutors reduced a vandalism charge to a misdemeanor and the judge agreed to delay the rest of the hearing until November.

Briley left the courtroom as he came in -- not saying a word.

"He's acting on my advice while we're here in court, while we're involved in legal proceedings," Lannom said. "I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen that's all I can do for you today."

Driving under the influence and implied consent charges are misdemeanors. The evading arrest charge is a felony.

If convicted of a felony, Briley could no longer hold public office. He is due back in court Nov. 21.