Candidates take the floor during forum
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 27, 2016 9:57 AM
GRANTHAM -- Superior Court Judge Arnold Jones raised his right hand Monday night as he asked the crowd of nearly 50 gathered for a candidates forum if they knew about his "situation."
His opponent, Will Bland, pointed out that Jones is still being paid although he has not worked a "single day" since being on administrative leave for nearly a year.
They were among the 18 candidates who spoke during the forum sponsored by the Grantham Grange and held at the Grantham Fire Station. There were no questions from the audience, and candidates were given three minutes to speak.
Jones said he wanted to talk about himself and the importance of the job.
"If you are not aware of it (situation), you are getting ready to be," Jones said. "Last November I was charged with a crime. I have said since then that I am innocent of that crime. I believe in the presumption of innocence, and I continue to believe in it. Every judge that sits on our bench should believe in that.
"I have learned a lot in the last year. I also want you to know that I have been on administrative leave since the charges trying to get this stuff resolved. It has not been quick. But we are getting through it. Hopefully by the end of October everything will be resolved. I will be back on the bench and your judge Arnold Jones will be presiding over cases. How about that?"
Jones did not delve into the specifics of the charges that he allegedly bribed an FBI task force officer to obtain copies of text messages between his wife and another man.
It is time for voters to hire the county's next Superior Court judge, Bland said.
"I am committed to fundamental fairness in our courts and professional behavior in my profession," Bland said. "Nowhere is this more important than in the Superior Court.
"My opponent seeks to be re-hired even though by his own choice of that long administrative leave he has not worked a single day since last November while still being paid over $11,000 a month. Meanwhile, Wayne County has had to pay a substitute all year. That's not fair to the taxpayers or the voters."
Jones said that with his comments about his situation out of the way that he wanted the audience to know the importance of the job and the duties of a Superior Court judge.
Superior Court judges are in charge of a "large" civil docket and help move cases on the criminal docket as well, he said.
Jones said he has dealt with that responsibility and dealt with it well.
"During the time you elected me we tried a lot of cases, and in doing that, I have worked with a lot of people," Jones said. "One of those is your former district attorney, Branny Vickory, who is my opponent's former boss. He has worked with both of us, and he has endorsed me for re-election."
Bland, who called the forum a "terrific exercise" in democracy, said he grew up on Walnut Street, the son of Powell and Lillian Bland, and that they would walk to Madison Avenue Baptist Church -- a church his father helped establish.
"Service to the community was always central to my family," he said. "Dr. Ralph Bland was my uncle. He helped develop the first emergency department in Wayne County.
"My dad, an attorney, also worked with Wayne Memorial Hospital and Wayne Community College tirelessly to establish the present locations from which these institutions have grown and given so much back to us."
Bland said that his mother had helped move the Wayne County Public Library to Ash Street where it continues to serve the public.
Bland said he returned to Wayne County following law school to continue the tradition of service his parents had instilled in him.
That includes work with the Boys and Girls Club, the Wayne Community College Foundation, his church and many other organizations over the years, he said.
"As recent Rotary Club president I think our motto 'Service Above Self' really gets the priorities right," Bland said. "My most rewarding right now is as Scoutmaster of my son's Boy Scout Troop 3 sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church."
Bland said his daughter Lucy is in the Girl Scouts and that his family is trying to pass on that tradition of service to the next generation.
"I stress service because service is also the core of my professional life as an attorney," he said. "For 24 years, working first as a prosecutor under Don Jacobs and Branny Vickory, and now in private practice, I have worked to help people in our court system day in, day out -- working within the law and the Constitution.
"In every interaction, I try to be honest and fair with all people. I want to bring this tradition of integrity and fair play to the Superior Court bench in Wayne County."
Bland said he is well prepared for the job and is one of only four board-certified specialist in state criminal law in the county.
Other speakers included:
* Ven Faulk and Raymond Smith Jr., Wayne County Board of Education at-large (nonpartisan).
* Annette Turik (incumbent) and Curtis Stackhouse, District Court judge (nonpartisan).
* Wayne Aycock, Republican, incumbent Wayne County at-large commissioner, unopposed.
* Joe Gurley, Republican, incumbent Wayne County District 4 commissioner, unopposed.
* Ed Cromartie, Democrat, Wayne County District 2 commissioner, sent word that he was unable to attend because of recent health problems.
* Judy Harrison, Wayne County Register of Deeds, Democrat, unopposed.
* District 7 state Sen. Louis Pate, Republican, unopposed.
* District 4 state Rep. Jimmy Dixon, Republican, unopposed.
* District 10 state Rep. John Bell, Republican. Democrat Evelyn Paul did not attend.
* Charles Meeker, Democrat, state secretary of labor. Republican incumbent Cherie Berry did not attend.
* Wayne Goodwin, Democrat, incumbent state insurance commissioner, and Mike Causey, Republican.
* Rodney Meadow who spoke on behalf of Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, Democrat. Republican Michael LaPaglia did not attend.
* Robert "Bob" Edmunds, N.C. Supreme Court associate justice (incumbent), nonpartisan. Michael "Mike" Morgan did not attend.
* Doris Hood spoke on behalf of N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Valerie Zachary, nonpartisan, who sent word she would be unable to attend because of a prior engagement. Rickye McKoy-Mitchell did not attend.