{{short description|American politician from North Carolina}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Jim Black | honorific_suffix = | image = Representative James B. Black.jpg | image_size = | office = [[Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives]] | alongside = [[Richard T. Morgan|Richard Morgan]] (2003–2005) | term_start = January 1, 1999 | term_end = January 1, 2007 | preceded = [[Harold J. Brubaker|Harold Brubaker]] | succeeded = [[Joe Hackney]] | office1 = Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] | term_start1 = January 1, 1991 | term_end1 = February 14, 2007 | predecessor1 = Lawrence Edward Diggs | successor1 = [[Tricia Cotham]] | constituency1 = [[North Carolina's 36th House district|36th]] District (1991-2003) <br/> [[North Carolina's 100th House district|100th]] District (2003-2007) | term_start2 = January 1, 1981 | term_end2 = January 1, 1985 | predecessor2 = Marilyn R. Bissell | successor2 = Raymond Allan Warren | constituency2 = [[North Carolina's 36th House district|36th]] District | birth_name = James Boyce Black | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1935|03|25|mf=yes}} | birth_place = [[Matthews, North Carolina]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | relations = | children = | alma_mater = [[Southern College of Optometry]], O.D. | occupation = [[Optometrist]] | profession = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''James Boyce Black''' (born March 25, 1935) is a member of the [[North Carolina Democratic Party]], and a former member of the [[North Carolina General Assembly]], who represented the state's 100th House district, including constituents in [[Mecklenburg County, North Carolina|Mecklenburg County]]. An [[optometrist]] from [[Matthews, North Carolina]], Black was elected to 11 (non-consecutive) terms in the [[North Carolina House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], and served as [[Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]] from January 1999 through the end of 2006, when scandal forced him to give up the leadership post. For the 2003-2004 legislative session Black was elected to serve as "Co-Speaker" with Republican [[Richard T. Morgan]] serving as the other Co-Speaker.<ref>[http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1089971/ “Black, Morgan Elected Co-Speakers Of State House.”. WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC. February 5, 2003. Retrieved October 13, 2011.]</ref>
Black earned an O.D. from the [[Southern College of Optometry]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legislature.state.al.us/SearchableInstruments/2005RS/Resolutions/HR89.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2006-10-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060406171345/http://www.legislature.state.al.us/SearchableInstruments/2005RS/Resolutions/HR89.htm |archivedate=2006-04-06 }}</ref> He served in the [[United States Navy]] and in the [[United States Naval Reserve]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUserID=4 |title=North Carolina General Assembly - Representative James B. Black (Democrat, 2007-2008 Session)<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2007-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203015608/http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUserID=4 |archive-date=2007-02-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Fall from power== In 2005 and 2006, Black was linked to a series of scandals involving, among other things, the party-switching Rep. [[Michael P. Decker]], and the [[Lotteries in the United States|North Carolina lottery]], established the previous year. The proceedings led to convictions for several involved figures, including Decker, media and public relations consultant Kevin L. Geddings and political aide Meredith Norris. Decker testified under oath that he instigated a bribery scheme of which Black was alleged to be a "co-conspirator". Black has consistently denied those allegations.
Although Black was not indicted while serving as speaker, the situation drew ire from the [[North Carolina Republican Party]], which involved the scandal in their November election campaigns.<ref>Christensen, Rob. [http://www.newsobserver.com/114/story/498125.html "Trial shows capital's shady side."]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. [[The News & Observer]], Raleigh, North Carolina. October 13, 2006. Retrieved October 17, 2006.</ref>
Black was re-elected in November 2006, over Republican political novice Hal Jordan. Meanwhile, he led efforts to increase the Democratic majority in the State House.
In December 2006, Black announced that he would not seek another term as Speaker.<ref>[http://www.newsobserver.com/1179/story/520938.html "Black drops out of speaker race"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070110233940/http://www.newsobserver.com/1179/story/520938.html |date=2007-01-10 }}. [[The News & Observer]], Raleigh, North Carolina. December 13, 2006. Retrieved December 13, 2006.</ref> That was followed in January 2007 by his announcement that he would not run for re-election to the House in 2008.<ref>[http://dwb.newsobserver.com/news/ncwire_news/story/3020700p-9440220c.html newsobserver.com | NC News Wire<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Black pleaded guilty to a [[United States Code|federal]] charge of [[political corruption|public corruption]] on February 15, 2007, a [[felony]] carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.<ref>[https://www.newsobserver.com] | MAY 10, 2015 | Former House Speaker Jim Black’s law finds new life | Rob Christensen | [https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/rob-christensen/article20609109.html]</ref> He admitted to accepting funds from [[Chiropractic|chiropractors]] while their professional group had legislation pending in the North Carolina General Assembly. As a result, he resigned from the General Assembly on February 14, 2007.<ref>[http://www.newsobserver.com/1179/story/543491.html newsobserver.com | Black pleads guilty to corruption charge<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217231926/http://www.newsobserver.com/1179/story/543491.html |date=2007-02-17 }}</ref>
Federal prosecutors have said the plea deal with Black involves his assistance in their continued investigation into political corruption in North Carolina government.
Black's agreement with federal prosecutors did not protect him from state prosecution.<ref>[http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/16691395.htm Home Page | www.charlotteobserver.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Indeed, days after his federal plea, he entered into a separate [[Alford plea]] agreement with the [[district attorney]] of [[Wake County]], whose jurisdiction includes the state capital, [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]].<ref>[http://www.newsobserver.com/1179/story/545476.html newsobserver.com | Black's tumble continues with new plea<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
On July 11, 2007, Black was sentenced by Judge [[Terrence Boyle]] to five years, three months in prison, three years of probation, and a $50,000 fine.<ref>[http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/jimblack/story/633483.html newsobserver.com | Jim Black gets 63 months in prison<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713212320/http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/jimblack/story/633483.html |date=2007-07-13 }}</ref> Black was sentenced in state court as well in 2007 and 2009, but was allowed to serve his state sentences concurrently with his federal prison time.<ref>[http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/jimblack/story/654479.html newsobserver.com | Black sentenced, fined $1 million<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070920072827/http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/jimblack/story/654479.html |date=2007-09-20 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/1610060.html News & Observer: Jim Black sentenced for bribery] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719080538/http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/1610060.html |date=2009-07-19 }}</ref>
In 2010, Black was released from federal prison in Georgia and returned to Mecklenburg County to serve the remaining six months of his term either at a halfway house or under house arrest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/jim_black_released_from_prison |title=Jim Black released from prison | newsobserver.com projects |accessdate=2010-10-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401164902/http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/jim_black_released_from_prison |archivedate=2012-04-01 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070509225738/http://projects.newsobserver.com/dome/profiles/jim_black News & Observer "Under the Dome" Profile of Black] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111015085137/http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/series.html?id=23 Carolina Journal - Spotlight on Speaker Jim Black] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071008074615/http://media.gatewaync.com/wsj/pdfs/2007/02/15/plea_forms.pdf Black's Plea Agreement with U.S. Attorneys]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-nc-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Marilyn R. Bissell}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] <br/> from the [[North Carolina's 36th House district|36th]] district|years=1981–1985|alongside=Louise Smith Brennan, [[Ruth M. Easterling|Ruth Easterling]], Gus Nickolas Economos, Jo Graham Foster, Harold Parks Helms, LeRoy Page Spoon, Jr., Benjamin Thompson Tison, III, Philip O. Berry}} {{s-aft|after=Raymond Allan Warren}} |- {{s-bef|before=Lawrence Edward Diggs}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] <br/> from the [[North Carolina's 36th House district|36th]] district|years=1991–2003}} {{s-aft|after=[[David M. Miner|David Miner]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=''Constituency established''}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] <br/> from the [[North Carolina's 100th House district|100th]] district|years=2003–2007}} {{s-aft|after=[[Tricia Cotham]]}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Harold J. Brubaker|Harold Brubaker]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]|years=1999–2007|alongside=[[Richard T. Morgan|Richard Morgan]] (2003–2005)}} {{s-aft|after=[[Joe Hackney]]}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black, James B.}} [[Category:1935 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Matthews, North Carolina]] [[Category:Lenoir–Rhyne University alumni]] [[Category:American optometrists]] [[Category:Speakers of the North Carolina House of Representatives]] [[Category:Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives]] [[Category:People who entered an Alford plea]] [[Category:North Carolina politicians convicted of crimes]] [[Category:Politicians convicted of program bribery]] [[Category:21st-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly]] [[Category:20th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly]]