Dever's recusal

A federal judge stepped down from former House Speaker Jim Black's sentencing on June 5, 2007.

In a 64-page memo, Judge Michael C. Dever III acknowledged that Black's attorneys had alleged that he had previously worked on a legislative redistricting case sparked by his work as speaker.

Dever writes that as a lawyer in private practice, he filed a lawsuit against Black and nine other public officials "in their official capacity."

He also notes that Black's request for Dever to recuse himself came just six days after he sentenced former Rep. Michael Decker in a related case and two days after he served notice that he was contemplating a longer sentence for Black.

"It appears that Black was content 'to test the waters' for 76 days, but viewed 'the waters' as 'uncomfortably hot' after Decker's sentencing on April 27, 2007, and after receiving this court's order of May 1, 2007," he writes. 

In the end, however, Dever writes that he will step aside in order to keep the focus on Black's corruption.

"That closure will not come if Black can try to direct the focus of this criminal case away fromt he reality of his own corruption and instead discuss meritless perceptions about the undersigned," he writes.