Attleboro Councilor Pleads Not Guilty; Counsel Says Allegations Politically Motivated [VIDEO]

Attleboro City Councilor Kim Allard pleaded not guilty during her arraignment in Bristol County Superior Court in Fall River today. Allard, who is seeking reelection to the council was charged on two counts of grand larceny of an elderly man.

Allard and her attorney, Seth Roman, went before Superior Court Judge Thomas F. McGuire Jr. to plead not guilty on the charges. Allard was released on personal recognizance and is due back in court on Dec. 13. If Allard does not show in court in December, she will face a fine of $50,000 and five years in prison.

After the court proceedings, Allard's attorney said his client is innocent and that they have evidence to prove she did nothing illegal. Roman went on to say that the timing of accusations against Allard are politically motivated.

"The allegations were brought by a man who has an ax to grind politically against Councilwoman Allard, and clearly the timing is designed to have some influence on the upcoming election," Roman said. "Miss Allard is not guilty. She is completely innocent of the charges. The charges are baseless. I'm confident, in fact I know, that at the end of proceedings she will is going to be found not guilty."

While Roman would not say who that man was, former State Rep. Bill Bowles, who was also at the courthouse, said he filed a complaint against Allard on behalf of former Probate Judge Edward F. Casey. Bowles serves as conservator for Casey, where he is in charge of managing the former judge's financial affairs. Allard is still the judge's health care proxy tasked with his health affairs.

After the court proceedings, Bowles said he hopes the case will end in a guilty finding on both charges.

"We have an elderly gentleman who has dementia and was convinced to mortgage his property in Newport, RI, and mortgage a home in Attleboro," Bowles said. "He lived at that property for approximately a year and is now in assisted living. He is struggling with financial resources because he gave away most of the assets that would be used for his health care."

Bowles denied that the complaints he filed were politically motivated, but added that he does not believe Allard is a good city councilor.

"Elder abuse is not political, elder abuse is very serious," Bowles said. "We have an individual whose life is altered significantly because of what has happened."

Bowles, however, has made public statments about Allard and how he was not happy about her support for his former opponent for State Representative, George Ross. Allard said Bowles threatened her when she put Ross's campaign sign on her lawn during last year's election. Bowles, however, denied the threat and said it was Allard's interpretation. "I don't happen to think she is a good city councilor, and in politics she worked for my opponent two years ago and I told her if she did that I'd return the favor."