Pretrial conference for man who flouted mask mandate delayed

Judge Jay Sheffield postponed the pretrial conference of a man arrested after refusing to put on a mask or leave a Libby farmers market to give attorneys more time to negotiate a plea deal.

The change in dates marks the second time Sheffield has moved the pretrial conference for William Day, 59.

Day faces charges of failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and trespassing after he allegedly refused requests made by farmers market staff to put on a face covering or leave the event Aug. 6. In an affidavit, Jonathan Graham, Libby police officer, said that when he began writing Day a citation for trespassing, Day told him he planned to return to the market.

Throughout their conversation, Graham said Day disrupted other patrons at the market with “profane and obscene language.” Eventually, Graham arrested Day.

Day pleaded not guilty on all counts, according to court documents.

Due to a medical exemption, Day was absent from the original pretrial conference on Nov. 5. Sheffield moved the pretrial conference to Dec. 3 after Day’s attorney, Scott B. Johnson, said he wanted to discuss a potential plea deal with Day.

During the Dec. 3 court date, Johnson said he would need a few more weeks to discuss the plea deal with Dean Chisholm, Libby city attorney,

Sheffield set the pretrial conference date for Dec. 31.