AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Gov. Janet Mills plans to act within “a reasonable amount of time” on whether to remove a sheriff accused of improprieties following the completion of two days of hearings Wednesday, a spokesperson said.
Former Supreme Judicial Court Justice Donald Alexander, who presided over the sessions Monday and Wednesday, will make a recommendation whether Oxford County Sheriff Christopher Wainwright should be fired, but the final decision lies with the governor.
Wainwright has been accused of urging a deputy to go easy on an acquaintance cited for a traffic violation, letting two school resource officers carry guns even though they lacked the necessary certifications and transferring dozens of guns from an evidence locker to a dealer for sale without proper notification or documentation.
The sheriff, who was was elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, said he believed he had the authority to sell the guns and did not benefit from the transaction. He also said that he was not involved in the hiring of the school resource officers in 2018, when he was chief deputy, and that he made a mistake in intervening in the traffic ticket.
DR MARTIN SCURR: How losing your hearing may cause dementia
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula explores selling non
Miles Russell is 15. He sets Korn Ferry Tour record as the youngest player to make the cut
An Alabama prison warden is arrested on drug charges
What's next for Iran after death of its president in crash?
Worker electrocuted while doing maintenance on utility pole in upstate New York
South Africa man convicted in deaths of 2 Alaska Native women faces revocation of U.S. citizenship
Religious leader faces new charge in case that brought 5
'Constantly learning' Imanaga off to impressive start with the Chicago Cubs
The 12 jurors picked in Trump's hush money trial, including a woman who called him 'selfish'
Britain's new bonkers EV: Callum Skye is an £80k electric buggy built in Warwickshire
Shocking moment group of yobs hurl racist abuse at train passengers