State trial over voter ID put on hold
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A trial in state court over North Carolina's Voter ID law has been put on hold.
Attorneys on both sides of a lawsuit filed in 2013 agreed Tuesday that it is moot after a federal appeals court struck down the mandate and other election laws last month.
"We all agree that it doesn't serve the public for us to go to trial over a law that can't be enforced that's not in effect," said attorney Anita Earls with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.
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The case was just six weeks from trial.
The law's opponents say it targeted minorities and limited access at the polls.
"The court was pretty clear in its ruling, it's unanimous ruling that there was no evidence of fraud in that this was discriminatory intent to try to prevent certain people from registering and voting," said state Attorney General Roy Cooper.
Gov. Pat McCrory called on the Supreme Court to reverse course while speaking at a Donald Trump rally in Wilmington on Tuesday afternoon.
"(I'd like) to officially request that Chief Justice John Roberts reinstate the right for photo id in our next election in the state of North Carolina."
There's still a chance the Supreme Court could reinstate photo ID which means the case could still go to trial at the state level.
The state is expected to formally ask the Supreme Court on Wednesday for an emergency stay of the ruling.
Also at Tuesday's hearing, presiding Superior Court Judge Michael Morgan addressed criticisms of his involvement in the case.
Morgan is running for state supreme court in November, but cited a judicial ethics official's findings that there is no conflict with him continuing to preside.
He said he will not recuse himself from the case.
