Former House speaker sentenced to more than 5 years in prison

RALEIGH (AP) — Former House Speaker Jim Black has been sentenced to more than five years in prison on federal charges.

US District Court Judge Terrence Boyle also fined Black 50-thousand dollars on the charges, which said Black illegally took cash from chiropractors while promoting their agenda.

Boyle could have sentenced the Mecklenburg County Democrat to six-and-a-half years in prison, but he rejected prosecutors' requests for a harsher sentence.

Assistant US Attorney John Bruce asked for a longer prison term, arguing Black did more damage than two of his political associates who have also pleaded guilty in public corruption cases.

The 72-year-old Black apologized in court to his colleagues, family and the state for what he called his "stupid mistakes." He had plead guilty in February.

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