GREENUP, Ky. — There will be a hearing at 1 p.m. Thursday in Greenup Circuit Court over the recent motion to dismiss the charges in the Indian Head Rock case.

The year-old case pitted the Commonwealth of Kentucky against Ironton historian Steve Shaffer for his part in the removal of an 8-ton sandstone rock from the Ohio River in the fall of 2007.

The rock was considered to be a centuries old artifact that lay in the Ohio River between South Shore, Ky., and Portsmouth. Because the Indian Head Rock had the sanction of the Kentucky Heritage Council its removal landed Shaffer with felony charges. Shaffer was facing a possible five years in prison.

However on Friday Commonwealth’s Attorney Cliff Duvall filed a motion that the charges be dismissed on the grounds that the rock Shaffer removed is not the Indian Head Rock.

The motion will be heard by Circuit Court Judge Robert Conley.