BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A judge gave a former Burlington City Council member more time to think about his plea agreement after he hesitated during a hearing on three felony sexual abuse charges.
The Hawk Eye reports District Judge Mary Ann Brown decided not to delay Monday’s hearing a day until Chris King was comfortable with the implications of his plea agreement.
During Monday’s hearing, King hesitated when asked about his plans to enter an Alford plea, which means he maintains innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence for conviction.
King is appealing his August conviction in a separate case where prosecutors say he had sex with teen girls he met through his Burlington photo studio.
King, a council member from 2002 to 2005, has said sex with the girls was consensual.
