A federal judge has ruled that the corruption and tax charges against former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik must be divided into two trials.

Judge Stephen Robinson in White Plains also dismissed a wire fraud charge against Kerik, saying it was barred by the statute of limitations. And he modified another charge that claims Kerik lied when he denied there was anything embarrassing in his background. He said two questions posed when Kerik sought a job advising the Department of Homeland Security were too ambiguous.
    
The judge said the remaining charges would be split into two trials. The first, focusing on corruption charges, begins Oct. 13. The second trial has not been set.
    
Kerik was briefly President Bush’s nominee for director of Homeland Security.

(Source: Associated Press / NBC New York)