Rose McGowan Drug Trial Hits Snag, PWC's Ebert Takes Over: Report

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Actress Rose McGowan's approaching trial on drug charges has hit a speed bump after Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Plowman recused himself because of a conflict of interest, reports WTOP. Prince William County prosecutor Paul Ebert told the station Plowman asked him to take over the case because McGowan's attorney, James Hundley, represents Plowman in a federal civil rights case.

The 44-year-old McGowan, who has been at the forefront of the national discussion on sexual misconduct after accusing Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of rape, will be tried in Loudoun County but a preliminary hearing scheduled for next week likely will be pushed back because she has added two more attorneys.

An arrest warrant for McGowan on charges of felony drug possession, in this case cocaine, was issued late last October nearly nine months after she flew through Dulles International Airport. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said in a statement the warrant stems from McGowan allegedly leaving personal belongings that tested positive for narcotics on a United flight last Jan. 20 at Dulles International Airport.
McGowan had been expected to appear in a courtroom for her arraignment last November, but a judge agreed to waive her appearance at her lawyer's request. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 23, when McGowan was expected to enter a plea. She condemned the arrest as retaliation for her outspoken stance on sexual misconduct.
"Are they trying to silence me?" she tweeted Oct. 30. "There is a warrant out for my arrest in Virginia. What a load of HORSES**T."

In October, after having her Twitter account temporarily suspended by the social-media service following a string of posts alleging cover-ups of Weinstein's treatment of women, McGowan said the movie producer raped her. Weinstein, who was fired from The Weinstein Company production house over allegations of sexual harassment and assault dating back decades, has denied sexually assaulting anyone.

Hundley is representing Plowman in a civil suit filed by, according to WTOP, "a Loudoun County resident who claimed Plowman was unconstitutionally restricting his free speech on the county's Facebook page." A U.S. District Judge ruled Plowman was allowed to removed Brian Davison's comments because a Facebook page is a limited public forum under the First amendment. Davison is appealing the ruling.
One of McGowan's best-known roles was playing Paige Matthews on the WB channel's "Charmed" from 2001-06.

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