Tidbits from Geddings hearing

Some notes from this morning's sentencing hearing on Kevin Geddings:

* Defense attorney Jonathan Edelstein argued that Geddings' crime was not as serious as that of former Rep. Michael Decker, who switched parties to keep then Speaker Jim Black in power. That, the attorney argued, was "a coup" of one branch of government.

* Prosecutors argued that Geddings' actions prevented North Carolina from getting a competitive bid. Once his ethical problems were known, they said, the state had no choice but to go with rival GTECH Corp., rather than Scientific Games.

* Defense attorneys also argued that Geddings was not a "high-level official" worthy of additional punishment, since he was one of nine lottery commissioners. "He was not even a figurehead," argued Edelstein. "He was one-ninth of a figurehead."