Marshall Stevens, Sr. had his day in court Monday and prevailed.

"I knew I wasn't guilty of it," East Laurinburg's mayor pro tem said.

Stevens and his son, Marshall Stevens, Jr., were charged with tresspassing and communicating threats by Agnes Sturdivant and Rowe Warren, both residents of East Laurinburg.

"It was a political move by them," Stevens said. "They wanted to get at me."

He said that they were unhappy with his proposal to levy a tax in East Laurinburg and the criminal accusations were an attempt to get him to resign.

He also said that the trial was delayed because "We had to get a judge out of the county." Stevens said he was friends with all of the judges in the county. District Court Judge John Carter of Robeson County heard the case.

"I appreciate the support of the community," Stevens said. He said between 30 and 40 people showed up at his trial to support him.

Stevens and his son were found not guilty on all charges, and Stevens dropped charges he had filed against Warren.

According to a December sheriff's report, Stevens was charged with one count of communicating threats and one count of second-degree trespassing from allegations by Sturdivant. His son was charged with two counts of communicating threats and one count of second-degree trespassing.

Sturdivant alleged that the younger Stevens made several threats, including that he would run them out of town, burn their house down and kill them.

Sturdivant also said the elder Stevens came on her property shortly thereafter and threatened to beat up both her and her husband.

Warren had alleged that Stevens threatened him following a heated East Laurinburg meeting.

Stevens also alleged that Warren had threatened him in the same incident, and had made a motion with his cane that could have been perceived as an attack.