A jury of seven women and five men is expected to begin deliberations this morning in the case of suspended State Court Judge Carlton Vines. Vines is standing trial on charges that he improperly handled and was in possession of absentee ballots in the 2006 election. Yesterday defense attorneys called one witness, Probate Judge and Election Superintendent Jon Payne. Payne told the jurors that the investigators with the Secretary of State’s office told him they were after only one thing in their investigation, namely Judge Vines. One of Vines attorneys, Rex Abernathy stated that the case was more about a political witch hunt which began with the Secretary of States office. Prosecutors told jurors that the case was about the integrity of the election process in Chattooga County and that Vines should be found guilty for improperly handling absentee ballots.
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