COVENTRY, R.I. (WPRI) — The former Coventry town councilman accused of violently threatening the council’s president earlier this year faced a judge Friday morning.

Scott Copley, 50, was formally charged with threatening a public official earlier this month.

Coventry Town Council President Hillary Lima publicly accused Copley of making a sexually violent remark about her during a private phone call with Vice President John Paul Verducci back in March.

The alleged threatening comment stemmed from a spat with the rest of the council over how Coventry's finances were being presented by Town Solicitor Stephen Angell.

Copley and another councilor — James LeBlanc — submitted their resignations nearly two weeks later.

In his resignation letter, Copley wrote that he had filed a formal complai

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