WHITEVILLE, N.C. -- North Carolina's longest-serving legislator is in court to face charges that he shot a former client who was kicking his front door.
State Sen. R.C. Soles is due in Superior Court in Whiteville on Thursday as he stands accused of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
The Columbus County Democrat admitted to shooting 22-year-old Kyle Blackburn in the leg at the senator's Tabor City home last August. The 75-year-old Soles said he was acting in self-defense after Blackburn and 23-year-old Billie Wright kicked at the door.
Blackburn wasn't badly hurt. He and Wright have since been arrested on unrelated drug charges.
Soles has been a legislator for 41 years. He said he won't seek re-election in November.
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