Butler County Commissioner Bill McCarrier said Wednesday the board won't be blackmailed into retaining jury commissioners.

McCarrier, board chairman, said at the commissioners meeting that a July 16 letter from Larry Thompson, president of the Pennsylvania State Association of Jury Commissioners, appeared to be a threat.

The letter stated the commissioners needed to extend the part-time posts past 2013 to avoid a lawsuit filed by the three jury commissioner candidates in the May primary.

According to the letter, “There does exist a right and honorable way to bring about resolution and avoid litigation.”

Thompson, who did not attend the meeting, said in an interview the letter was only offering a resolution to the debate.

Jury Commissioner Jon Galante agreed the board was not threatened.

McCarrier and Commissioner Dale Pinkerton on May 23 voted to eliminate jury commissioners, whose job is to select jury pools for civil and criminal court cases.

Commissioner Jim Eckstein, who supports keeping the posts, was absent from the meeting to attend a conference.