DA: no investigation into contracts awarded to Jim Black’s son

RALEIGH (AP) — Wake County prosecutors say they won’t pursue a criminal investigation of the son of former House Speaker Jim Black.

Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby tells The News & Observer of Raleigh there isn’t enough significant evidence to support a case against Jon Black.

Willoughby said the State Bureau of Investigation interviewed several people about Black’s company, which won contracts to provide pest control services at three state prisons.

Their probe began after a subcontractor said he was ordered to hire Black Pest Control to satisfy an unidentified lawmaker whose vote helped get the prisons built. Willoughby said the SBI was unable to corroborate that claim.

Jim Black is serving a federal prison sentence on corruption charges unrelated to the prison contracts.

—
Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)