Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV's DWI trial could not open on Monday because of a scheduling conflict with his arresting officer. (DNAinfo/Shayna Jacobs)By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN CRIMINAL COURT — East Harlem Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV's drunk-driving trial was delayed once again on Monday because the arresting officer was not available to testify.
It has now been two years since Powell was charged with the misdemeanor.
The assemblyman was arrested in 2008 after allegedly swerving his SUV driving while intoxicated on the Henry Hudson Parkway.
The blood-alcohol test Powell took registered .07, which is below the legal limit, but prosecutors believe he manipulated the test by not blowing hard enough into the breathalyzer device.
Although Powell was offered a plea deal that didn’t include jail time, he continues to fight the charges.
"Do I look worried?" Powell said after a court appearance in November. "If I was worried, I would have taken the plea a long time ago."
Powell is considering running against Rep. Charlie Rangel for his Harlem congressional seat.
A misdemeanor conviction would not affect his status as a state representative.
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