| R.C. Soles, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 8th district |
|
| In office 1977–2011 |
|
| Succeeded by | Bill Rabon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1934 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Tabor City, North Carolina |
| Alma mater | Wake Forest University, University of North Carolina Law School |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Robert C. Soles, Jr. (born 1934) was a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate, representing the 8th district since 1977. His district includes Brunswick, Columbus and Pender counties. From 1969 to 1976, Soles served in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Sen. Soles was the chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
He is a practicing attorney at Soles, Phipps, Ray, and Prince Law Firm. In 2006, the N.C. Bar Association inducted him into the General Practice Hall of Fame. At one point, the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research named him the 8th most effective member of the legislature.
Soles is the founding president of the Southeastern Community College Foundation, a former member of the Governor's Crime Commission, and former board member of the Columbus County Community Foundation and Opera Company of North Carolina.
Soles graduated with a B.A. from Wake Forest University and received his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has never married.
On December 30, 2009, Soles (at the time, the longest-serving legislator in the state) announced he would not seek re-election in 2010. This came after an August, 2009 incident in which he shot a young man and former legal client in the leg who was allegedly trying to kick in Soles' front door. In another incident, Soles pepper sprayed a young man. Soles' lawyer, Joseph Cheshire, said the shooting was self-defense. Cheshire and Soles repeatedly have said that Soles has been generous to former clients in hoping to ease them back to a law-abiding life. Soles has denied having sexual relations with any of the young men.[1] Soles was indicted on charges of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury on 7 January 2010.[2]
In 2009 allegations from several men were published claiming that Soles sexually abused them when they were minors.[3]
The allegations resurfaced in June 2011, with three men having publicly accused Soles of sexual abuse.[4]