RUMFORD – On Friday, a Rumford District Court judge approved changing the trial date of a Mexico policeman accused of domestic violence, but failed to reschedule it.

Lewiston attorney Neil S. Shankman requested on Sept. 13 that the state’s case against his client, 57-year-old Michael J. Richard, be continued to a date later than the Nov. 13 trial.

According to Shankman’s motion, the lawyer will be away on Nov. 13 and 14 and has nonrefundable tickets.

Rumford police arrested Richard on July 20, three days after he filed for divorce from wife, Pamela Richard, 46, of 616 Maple St. The divorce notice was served on July 19 at Pamela Richard’s place of employment, Kaynor and Kreckel, 95 Congress St., a Rumford law firm.

The Mexico patrolman was charged with domestic assault and terrorizing, both misdemeanors, stemming from a June 21 incident in Rumford, then released on $1,000 unsecured bail.

Mexico police Chief Jim Theriault placed Richard on indefinite paid administrative leave until the matter was resolved.

Through a July 21 letter from Shankman to the court, Richard pleaded not guilty to both charges, which were not defined until his Sept. 5 arraignment in the Rumford court.

According to that document, Richard intentionally caused bodily injury or offensive physical contact to Pamela Richard, resulting in the domestic violence charge. The terrorizing charge states that Richard threatened to murder his wife.

Bail conditions at that time stated that he have no direct or indirect contact with his wife or Clayton Miller, 41, of 23 Worcester St., Mexico; not to possess any dangerous weapons, including but not limited to firearms; and to submit to searches – without probable cause – at any time or place.

On Aug. 15, another lawyer with Shankman’s firm, Robert L. Guillory, filed a motion on behalf of Michael Richard, to amend bail conditions, giving the Mexico officer limited contact with his wife.

Guillory stated that Pamela Richard had consented to having contact with her husband – only for marital counseling purposes – with counselor Robert Whiting of Christian Counseling Services in Auburn.

On Aug. 21, Rumford District Court Judge John McElwee OK’d Guillory’s motion.

A Rumford District Court date has yet to be set to hear the divorce case.

Michael Richard has been a police officer for Mexico since 2000. Before that, he worked for the Rumford Police Department for 28 years.