Easley's lawyer for hearing

Mike Easley's lawyer for the election hearing is apparently Thomas Hicks, a longtime associate who had been an assistant district attorney under Easley when he was a prosecutor in the southeastern part of the state.

Hicks, who is in private practice in Wilmington handling criminal, traffic, divorce and other cases, was also on Easley's staff when he was attorney general.

Hicks did not return a call. But his assistant returned a call and referred all questions to an Easley spokesman in California.