Judge not

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on June 6, 2007 - 7:07am.
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A federal judge has stepped down from former House Speaker Jim Black's sentencing.

In a 64-page order, Judge James C. Dever III said he did not believe the Mecklenburg Democrat's lawyers' claims he could not be fair were true, but he was stepping aside anyway.

He said that he wanted to restore public confidence and bring the case to an end:

"That closure will not come if Black can try to direct the focus of this criminal case away from the reality of his own corruption," wrote Dever, who included other harsh words for the former speaker. (N&O)

Dever had previously worked as an attorney for state Republican leaders who challenged a legislative redistricting led by Black. (AP)

He is being sentenced after pleading guilty to accepting $29,000 from three chiropractors.

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