By Samantha Swindler / Managing Editor
Hoping to “allay any concern” that he might have been involved with an alleged drug dealer to whom he sold a limousine, Judge Michael Caperton has taken, at his own expense and initiative, tests for the presence of illegal drugs.
Caperton provided the Times-Tribune this week with copies of blood and hair tests from Select Lab of London, which show the judge tested negative for amphetamines, cocaines, opiates, oxycodone, cannabinoids, methadones and other drugs. Caperton took an expanded panel test on June 22 that included tests for a wider variety of street and prescription drugs.
“This should put to rest anyone’s concern that I have any connection to such substances or persons associated with them,” Caperton stated in a release to The Times-Tribune. “So bottom line and in simple terms, I don’t have anything to do with drugs.”
Caperton’s 1994 black limo was found June 19 at the home of Ricky Napier of Arjay when authorities arrived to arrest Napier for charges of first-degree drug trafficking.
Caperton has said that Napier contacted him through a note at the judge’s home asking to borrow the limousine for his daughter’s wedding. Caperton wouldn’t loan the vehicle, but he did let Napier do yard work in exchange for it.
Napier had supposedly completed much of the yard work when Caperton let him take home the limousine in order to do some minor repairs and cleaning on the vehicle before the wedding.
That was just days before Napier was arrested on drug charges.
Caperton had hired an attorney after the incident and said this week that he has since sold Napier the limo.
He said he elected to take the drug tests to instill public confidence in his office.
“I believe that any leader or elected official would take reasonable action to instill trust in the people of their government,” Caperton stated. “Certainly in our depressed economy, the confidence of the people in our leaders and elected officials is of great importance. A depressed economy destabilizes public trust... While recent events have become laughable for many (I’ve heard the jokes), I would like to allay any concern others might express.”
Caperton represents Whitley, Knox and Laurel counties, among others, on the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Before being elected to the Court of Appeals in November 2007, Caperton had served as Knox and Laurel counties’ district court judge for 14 years.
He has also announced plans to run in 2010 for the Kentucky Supreme Court seat vacated by Joe Lambert.
When asked if other elected officials or government leaders would be wise to volunteer for drug testing, Caperton stated, “Any leader or elected official would take reasonable action to gain the trust of the people, however, I don’t know that I would advise anyone to take such tests; the cost was $250. While I believed that the cost was somewhat justifiable, my daughters believed the money would have been better invested in three season passes to King’s Island.”
