BRISTOL � A suspended Panhandle sheriff is going on trial for corruption charges in a case that has divided a small rural county.
BRISTOL � A suspended Panhandle sheriff is headed to trial this week on misconduct charges in a case that has divided a small rural county and sparked yet another debate over Florida gun laws.
Nick Finch, the Liberty County sheriff, was arrested in June on felony charges of official misconduct and falsifying public records. Finch, who was removed from office by Gov. Rick Scott, is accused of personally intervening after one of his deputies arrested a resident accused of carrying a pistol without a concealed weapons permit.
Finch, who has pleaded not guilty, has repeatedly said that he let the man go because he is a believer in gun rights. He has drawn support from conservative media outlets and gun rights activists.
A jury was selected Monday in the trial that is expected to be wrapped up by Thursday.
During jury questioning, prosecutors made clear their position that the sheriff can't ignore laws he disagrees with. They plan to argue that Finch tried to destroy records that showed he intervened in the case.
Finch for his part kept quiet on the first day, refusing to answer questions from reporters but added that he would have "plenty to say" once his trial was over.
The case's impact on tiny Liberty County � which has slightly more than 8,000 residents � was evident during the jury selection process.
Nearly everyone told Judge William Gary that they had read or heard about the case, with some prospective jurors telling Gary point blank they thought Finch was either guilty or innocent. One prospective juror acknowledged that his aunt had been fired from the Sheriff's Department when Finch took over.
At one point Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell asked if any juror was "kin" to the witnesses or "has a dog in the hunt."
Potential jurors acknowledged that the case had been talked about everywhere from the local Piggy Wiggly grocery store to a seafood restaurant that sits near the banks of the Apalachicola River. Bristol is located about 40 miles west of Tallahassee.
Finch, an Army veteran and onetime police officer, won his election as sheriff by less than 200 votes in November 2012. Previously, he ran as a Republican in 2008 and lost even though GOP presidential nominee John McCain carried the county.
The county's election supervisor said that Finch became a Democrat but ran in 2012 with no party affiliation. That allowed him to bypass a heated primary that included two other Democrats and incumbent Donnie Conyers.
State authorities investigating the case say that in March, one of his deputies arrested Floyd Eugene Parrish following a traffic stop during which Parrish was carrying a semi-automatic pistol in his pocket without a concealed weapons permit.
State authorities say Finch let Parrish leave the county jail in Bristol and that Finch took steps to conceal the initial arrest. Someone, for example, whited out an arrest log that contained Parrish's name.
Finch's case has been a rallying cry for some who say that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement went too far in investigating the case and arresting the sheriff.
Joe Metsa is the chapter leader in nearby Bay County of the Oathkeepers, which promotes gun rights and other constitutional rights. Metsa said he was "standing up for our sheriffs" and that it was wrong for the state to go after Finch because he "standing up for this man's 2nd Amendment rights."
State Rep. Halsey Beshears, R-Monticello, wrote Scott last week and said he should consider assigning new prosecutors to the Finch case. Beshears said he had "reservations and concerns" about the way the investigation has been handled and whether or not 2nd amendment rights were being protected.
State Attorney Willie Meggs, whose office is handling the case, brushed aside the letter and said that Beshears "should remain a legislator and not get involved."
Nick Finch was arrested earlier this year on felony charges of official misconduct and falsifying public records. Finch was accused in intervening in a case where one of his deputies arrested a resident for carrying a pistol without a concealed weapons permit.
A jury was picked for the case Monday.
Finch's attorneys will assert that the sheriff let the man go because he is a believer in 2nd Amendment gun rights. Prosecutors contend Finch does not have a right to ignore laws he does not believe in.
The case has attracted attention among some conservative media outlets and gun rights activists.