Tom Gibson, the public defender representing former Nye County Commissioner Peter Liakopoulos, filed a motion for a continuance in his trial, claiming he needs time to investigate misconduct in the Nye County Sheriff's Office investigation.

Liakopoulos was scheduled for a three-day jury trial in 5th District Court beginning June 29. He is charged with two felony counts of asking or receiving a bribe by an executive or administrative officer and misdemeanor counts of offering a reward for an appointment and grafting by a public officer.

Liakopoulos was assigned a public defender last November, at which time both parties were considering a spring trial date. He resigned his county commission seat effective last Dec. 31.

During a calendar call Monday to ask attorneys if they were ready to proceed with the case, Gibson announced he would file the motion to continue the case until October or November.

His motion states:

"Mr. Gibson has discovered that wider ranging issues will need to be brought up at trial. It appears that possible misconduct in the investigation of the matter by the Nye County Sheriff's Office may have occurred.

"Defense counsel intends to subpoena records regarding this matter for impeachment and credibility issues and without those, defendant's defense will be severely hampered."

Gibson said the state's key witness, former Pahrump Town Board member Laurayne Murray, was a person of interest in the defense investigation.

Murray reported Lliakopoulos' bribe offer, in which he offered to vote for a half-cent sales tax in December 2007 in exchange for the town board appointing his wife as curator of the veteran's museum.

Gibson's motion complains Murray wasn't charged for the same wrongful conduct. The defense intends to depose Murray in the criminal case.

"There appears to be an unspecified alliance between Loraine Murry [sic] and the Nye County Sheriff's Office which may take several months to investigate that has a direct impact on the defense of this case," Gibson's motion said.

During an interview Tuesday Gibson said, "I believe this case is politically motivated."

Gibson said he will use the original argument made by attorney Joseph Sciscento during the preliminary hearing back in September 2008, that such deals as allegedly occurred between Murray and his client are a normal quid pro quo in politics.