Former Convicted Assessor Withdraws From Race

{Charleston, West Virginia}...Former convicted Lincoln assessor Jerry Weaver, who was convicted of federal vote-buying charges, filed papers Tuesday withdrawing from the Lincoln County sheriff's race. Weaver pleaded guilty in 2005 in U.S. District Court to conspiring with former Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Greg Stowers to influence county elections from 1992 through 2004. Weaver spent a year in federal prison, while Stowers was sentenced to six months. Weaver was later hired to work in the assessor's office, the same office he was forced to leave following his conviction. He filed candidacy papers to run for sheriff last month.