MARTINSVILLE, Va. – A circuit court judge dismissed the recall petition against Martinsville Mayor LC Jones on Friday, ruling the effort did not meet the signature threshold required to move forward.
During a roughly 45-minute hearing, Jones’ attorney, Mark Krudys, argued the petition fell hundreds of signatures short of the number needed to be submitted. Central to the case was which election should be used to calculate the threshold and whether it should be based on the total number of ballots cast or the total number of votes on those ballots.
Circuit Court Judge Marcus Brinks ultimately sided with Jones and Krudys, dismissing the case.
“It’s a great lift off of my shoulders,” Jones said after the hearing. “It is time we turn the page, end the negativity and focus on doing what’s best for the citizens.”
Jones still remains under criminal investigation by the Virginia State Police.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.