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Effron said that Crane was dismissed because she persuaded Hooker Odom to change her mind and not talk to The N&O. "She openly and covertly encouraged employees and former employees not to cooperate with the press," he said.

No evidence has surfaced to show that Hooker Odom opposed the bill, although Easley told reporters late last year -- and again Tuesday -- that she had vigorously opposed the legislation.

Crane said Hooker Odom contacted her in January to discuss talking to The N&O. Crane said she e-mailed her that, " 'These stories are going to be terrible. It's up to you. I wouldn't call them back.' "

Hooker Odom, who works for a nonprofit in New York City, did not return a call to her office Tuesday. She has not responded to numerous calls over the past two months.

Crane, 48, was paid $86,129 a year. Two top mental-health officials whose actions had come under fire were treated much better.

Mike Moseley, the former director of the mental health division was fired, Crane said, but will be allowed to work for several more months; he is paid $131,430 annually.

Seth P. Hunt Jr., the chief executive officer of Broughton Hospital in Morganton, was demoted in December after he failed to report four patient deaths to regulators, a violation of state law. Regulators cut off federal money to the hospital, which is costing state taxpayers about a million dollars a month. He also spent thousands of dollars to remodel his office with bulletproof glass and panic buttons. His current salary is $98,567.

In a tearful interview, Crane said her firing was unjust.

"You showed ... a huge amount of tax dollars wasted on silly services that didn't help anybody, and then you had people who died or got beaten up really badly, and the only person who is really being held accountable is me," Crane said. "And my only sin was helping you."

(Staff writers Ben Niolet and Pat Stith contributed to this report.)

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