RALEIGH, N.C. — A former head of the Union County Republican Party has been cleared of threatening to harm Governor Mike Easley.
John Barker, of Monroe was charged in September of threatened to harm Easley, a Democrat, after a run-in with a state agency in August.
Barker was charged with communicating a threat to an executive officer, a felony that usually brings probation or community service. The maximum sentence would be 12 to 15 months in prison.
AWake County judge dismissed the charge Tuesday, and Barker said the incident was a big misunderstanding.
Barker led Union County Republicans for a year, ending in March 2003.
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