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Wright
convicted - gets 6 to 8 years behind bars
The jury found Wright was guilty of obtaining property by false pretense,
stemming from Wright having a state employee write a fraudulent letter about a
grant to obtain a $150,000 loan to purchase a building. He was also found guilty
on two felony charges for soliciting $7,400 from two businesses supposedly to go
towards his nonprofit health foundation and 1898 race riot museum, but which
ended up in his account.
Wright was found not guilty on the one charge of soliciting $1,500 from
AT&T that was supposed to go towards his nonprofit foundation, but ended up
in his personal bank account.
Shortly after the verdict Wake County Superior Court Judge Henry Hight
sentenced Wright to serve between six and eight years.
On the fraudulent loan charge Wright received 58-79 months; on the two
counts of soliciting money for his foundation he received 12-16 months.
After the sentencing Wright was taken into custody and taken out of the
courtroom where he awaited transfer to prison.
Wright’s attorney Douglas Harris asked that Wright remain free during
the appeals process saying he was not a threat to the community, but the request
was denied.
After the verdict Harris said he was not surprised by the jury’s
decision and admitted to telling Wright beforehand he stood a good chance of
being convicted.
Harris vowed to appeal basing it on a U.S. Supreme Court decision about
pretrial publicity.
From the outset of the trial Harris has maintained Wright could not find
fair jurors because of the publicity he received from being booted from the
General Assembly less than two weeks earlier.
Harris said he believes Wright will be vindicated through the appeals
process.
Monday’s verdict and sentencing ended a week long trial in which the
prosecution laid out evidence showing Wright willfully committed the crimes for
which he was charged.
On Thursday Wright testified for four hours in his own defense saying he
put his own money into establishing the nonprofit and museum and that the
charges against him were the result of political reprisal for not supporting
fellow Democrat Julia Boseman in her campaign for the NC Senate in 2006.
In speaking about the fraudulent letter Wright denied showing the letter
to bank officials. He did admit to having the letter written and knowing its
content was fraudulent but denied it was for the loan but instead meant to use
it to persuade other members of the General Assembly for funding down the road.
When asked by the Wake D.A. if he knew the letter was fraudulent why
would he show it to other legislatures, Wright said it was to establish the need
for money.
In demonstrating his penchant for using his own money for the foundation,
Wright testified he spent nearly $6,000 of his own money in interest payments on
the $150,000 loan, paid $1,200 on insurance for the building and $750 for design
work.
Wright also claimed to have spent $2,000 for two trips to
Wright still faces two more felony charges and possible federal charges
in connection with his time in the General Assembly.
One charge relates to nearly $185,000 in campaign contributions not
reported and the other charges stem from a $10,000 business loan for the
foundation.
The
Wright remains on the Democratic ticket for the House 18 May primary.