Charleston , Kanawha County , West Virginia

A man accused of trying to kill a Glasgow police officer was back in court on Friday, as the officer he's accused of shooting is still recovering almost a year later.

Former Glasgow officer Steve Smith says his goal is to be a police officer again, but right now, that's just not an option because of the extent of his injuries.

Now, he says, he's waiting for closure after allegedly being shot by Nickey Don Smith.

"Before all this happened, I loved to go hiking," Smith said. He says he remembers what his life was like before that night in December when Nickey Smith, who is of no relation, allegedly shot him with a sawed off shotgun.

"You get somebody out there who obviously has no respect for the law, or the police or anything, or the job that we're trying to do, and he gets out here and tries to take one of us down," says Smith.

Smith was off duty and out of uniform when he responded to a burglary in progress call with another officer on Glass Fire Lane, just a few steps away from the Glasgow department.

Smith knocked on the door, and says he came face to face with Nickey Smith, who was allegedly holding the shotgun, and fired.

"I have an 8 inch steel plate. This is the bullet holes from the blast," he says as he describes the scars left on his arm.

Nickey Smith was in court Friday for a hearing about an apparent taped confession he gave state police after he was arrested that night. His lawyer said in court that he believes the tape will work in their favor, but also believes it was "coerced."

"I can't imagine how he didn't hear us but police was yelled numerous times," said Smith.

Smith has yet to come face to face with his alleged attacker, but says he's ready to see the case play out in court. He's had two surgeries since the shooting, and although he says doctors say the odds are against him, he hopes to one day be able to be a police officer again.

"I'm almost nine months out and I'm not any closer to being better than what I was the night I was shot," says Smith.

Nickey Smith will go to trial on November 27 on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

A separate state trial will be held on malicious wounding and attempted murder charges.

He will be sentenced on a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm next month and faces 20 years in prison on that charge alone.

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