The city of Roanoke Rapids through its counsel representing the municipal government in a lawsuit filed by owner of Pomp Boys Motors submitted a motion Wednesday for an extension of time to respond to the complaint.

William H. Hill, an attorney with the Greensboro-based Frazier, Hill & Fury, requested a deadline through October 9 in which to answer the complaint filed by Vivian Pompliano, who claims in her lawsuit that harassment by the police department led to the demise of her business, a classic car and auto repair shop.

The defendants Hill is representing not only include the city but officers Antonio Seward and Jayme Shelburne.

Shelburne was served August 19, the city August 21 and Seward August 22.

The defendants will need additional time to prepare their answer, Hill wrote.

Hill said he has spoken to Pompliano’s counsel, who has agreed to the extension.

The court had not responded to the motion as of this report.

Last week the court allowed an extension of time filed by the attorney representing Rose Beacham and L&R Motors, who are also defendants in the case. Those defendants now have up to October 8 to file a response to the complaint, a copy of the order says.

The case has been selected for mediation.

Mediation is common in these cases and is used to secure the just, speedy and inexpensive resolution of the controversies while preserving the right of all parties to a conventional trial, the Eastern District of North Carolina’s website says. “Mediation is designed to focus the parties' attention on settlement rather than on trial preparation and to provide a structured opportunity for settlement negotiations to take place. Nothing in this process is intended to limit or prevent the parties from engaging in settlement procedures voluntarily at any time.”