SKOWHEGAN – A trial for the Maine Vocals, a statewide group advocating the legalization of marijuana, and another for its founder, Don Christen, have been joined in Somerset County Superior Court by Justice Joseph Jabar.

Maine Vocals and Christen are charged with four counts each of disorderly conduct in the wake of the 2001 Hempstock marijuana festival in Starks.

Christen maintains that the charges are part of a larger effort to force the festival to relocate. It has been held in Starks for nearly two decades and has been the focus of numerous complaints by residents and police.

Although Jabar made the ruling this week, he also has excused himself from the case, at Christen’s request. This will delay the trial until late summer or early fall, according to court personnel.

Christen asked Jabar to remove himself from the case because Christen owes money to Jabar’s former law firm.

The charges against Christen and the Vocals stem from complaints of loud music. Prosecutors say that Christen ignored warnings from the Maine State Police to lower the volume of live music at the four-day festival.

But Christen maintains the charges revolve around his ongoing dispute with the town of Starks regarding siting the festival in the small, rural community.

Although the festival has dwindled in size over the past several years, there was a time when more than 10,000 people came for the four days of music, speeches and rallies.

Dozens of vendors would set up shop around the perimeter of a field at Harry Brown’s farm, which became a tent village each summer.

Residents frequently complained that their town was being overrun, that people going to and from the festival urinated and slept on their lawns, and drove through town intoxicated, and that the music from 10 to 15 rock bands continued unabated day and night.

The town of Starks passed a mass gathering ordinance to limit the size and length of such festivals.

Christen maintains he has affidavits from landowners that border Brown’s farm stating that although they could hear some music, it was not loud. “The charges are part of a vindictive effort to push me out of Starks,” said Christen.

In addition, Christen said restrictive bail conditions placed on him more than two years ago when the charges were levied have prevented him from visiting family members in Starks.

Under Christen’s bail conditions, he is allowed in Starks only to deliver newspapers or to fix paper boxes.

He said he knows of no other case where disorderly conduct charges resulted in banning a person from an entire community.