The judge said he was disappointed with the complaints, noting the school district should be pleased to get an extra $1 million.
“Criticism from those receiving the gift really kind of puts a chilling effect on judges and the courts system that are working really hard for their benefit,” Stephens said. “It is not appreciated. I don’t even understand it, quite frankly. In my 25 years on the bench, I have never seen anything quite like that.”
1:23 p.m. update: The N&O is also reporting on the sentence, and Stephens remarks about the fine:
State fines and forfeitures go to the Wake County school system. One member of the Wake County School Board, Ron Margiotta, criticized the land transaction, saying that Black should have been required to provide cash. Margiotta questioned the appraisal, noting it was commissioned by Black?s family. He noted that the tax value of the property in 2003 was $149,000.
“We?ve got an appraisal done for a criminal,” Margiotta said. “Give me a break.”
Stephens was livid at the remarks, and summoned a Wake County school board attorney to his court room to be chewed out. The judge called the remarks “idiotic” and noted that he had not been obligated to levy any fine against Black.
“It’s like giving your daughter a Toyota and her saying, ‘Dad, I’d rather have a BMW,” Stephens said. The judge said he would have to give serious thought to whether he would levy fines in the future that would benefit the Wake County school system. [Emphasis added]
