Fourth judge to be assigned to former Carthage mayor's case, Crane recuses

For the third time in three days, a Jasper County judge has passed along former Carthage Mayor Dan Rife's petition for a writ of prohibition to keep him in office.

Division I Judge Gayle Crane recused herself Friday, according to Jasper County Circuit Court online records. She followed in the footsteps of Dean Dankelson and David Mouton who recused Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

A new judge will be assigned.

Rife was impeached on four of five counts Tuesday by 6-2 margins. 

His attorney, Christopher Thornton, says the city code requires two-thirds of the number of elected council members, which should be 7 since Carthage elects 10 council members, but two, Dustin Edge and David Armstrong, resigned.