Judges kick Carl Lewis off NJ state Senate ballot

TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) — The political career of nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis has been declared a false start.

A federal appeals panel ruled Thursday that he should be removed from a state Senate ballot because he does not meet the New Jersey's four-year residency requirement. Lewis' lawyer said he has not decided whether to appeal, but time is running short: Ballots are about to go to the printer for an election less than seven weeks away.

The ruling in the topsy-turvy and politically charged case came nine days after the same three-judge panel from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Lewis, a Democrat, should be on the ballot. But instead of issuing a full legal opinion, the court scheduled another hearing, which it held earlier this week.