News Roundup

As WRAL reports, former Wake County Register of Deeds Laura Riddick pleaded guilty late last week to felony embezzlement charges arising from her years-long practice of diverting funds from the office for her personal use.  Under the terms of Riddick’s plea agreement, she repaid $926,615 that she had taken from the office and will serve a five to seven year prison sentence.  The WRAL report says that three other former employees of the deeds office have been charged in connection with the case.  Keep reading for more news. Cline Reinstated.  From a fall from grace we turn to a story of redemption, with the Durham Herald Sun reporting that former Durham County District Attorney Tracy Cline has had her law license reinstated earlier this week by the State Bar.  Cline was in the news frequently beginning in late 2011 because of allegations that she made against Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson concerning her belief that he had conspired with the News & Observer to discredit her.  Those allegations ultimately led to her being removed from office in 2012 and her law license being suspended in 2015.  The Herald Sun report says that Cline plans to develop a civil practice. Silent Sam.  Earlier this week, WRAL reported on email and text message communications by the Chapel Hill Police Department that indicate that officers were instructed to not engage with the protesters who toppled the controversial Silent Sam statue on UNC’s campus.  The same report indicates that a Chapel Hill officer at the [...]