NATCHEZ &8212; M.L. &8220;Binkey&8221; Vines pleaded not guilty Friday morning to 13 counts of embezzlement.

Judge Joe Webster from Coahoma County dismissed the reading of the formal charges upon attorney Claude &8220;Buck&8221; Pintard&8217;s request. Webster presided because judges Lillie Blackmon Sanders and Forrest &8220;Al&8221; Johnson recused themselves from the case.

The hearing was originally set for 10 a.m. The proceeding started about 9:45 a.m. and lasted just a few minutes.

Vines&8217; bond remained the same &8212; $25,000 recognizance.

No cameras were allowed on the second floor of the Adams County Courthouse before or during the proceedings.

Pintard, Vines&8217; attorney, said he had no comment about the plea.

Vines allegedly embezzled $228,760 over the 2002-2003 fiscal year. A 2003 audit found understated fees and a lack of documentation in the circuit clerk&8217;s office.

Vines was working in his office at the courthouse Friday after the arraignment.

The Mississippi Attorney General&8217;s Office is prosecuting the case with the help of the Mississippi State Auditor.

Attorney General Jim Hood said Friday it was unfortunate he had to prosecute a public official.

&8220;It&8217;s bad for the county, it&8217;s bad for the circuit clerk, whom I know,&8221; Hood said. &8220;I feel for both. But we have a duty to enforce the law.&8221;

Hood said it would be best if this case were resolved quickly.

&8220;You have a public official in charge of taking care of the public&8217;s business,&8221; Hood said. &8220;When you hold on, it makes things a lot more difficult.&8221;

The case will be tried in Adams County, Hood said. The state cannot request a case be moved, he said, although the defendant could file a request to change venue if he felt he would not receive a fair trial.

Hood said he thought Vines could get a fair trial in Adams County.

&8220;Every time we pick the jury, we ask the question, &8216;Would you be biased in this case?&8217;&8221; Hood said. &8220;You start to pick up tell signs whether they&8217;re telling the truth or not. I believe we&8217;ll get a fair and impartial jury.&8221;

If convicted of embezzlement, a felony, Vines would be removed from office, Hood said.

No firm court date has been set, he said, but a Dec. 15 hearing will determine if each side has finished with the discovery, or investigative, process. Hood said Webster was looking at a January or February trial date.

&8220;I hope we&8217;re able to resolve this case long before then,&8221; Hood said. He said Vines could change his plea in the process, and Hood said he hoped he would.

&8220;The best thing for this case would be to resolve it quickly, preferably by a plea and a speedy resolution,&8221; Hood said.