Jefferson jury to continue deliberations on Monday
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The jury in the bribery trial of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson completed its first full day of deliberations Friday without reaching a verdict.
Jurors were told by the federal judge presiding over the trial to return Monday morning to continue the talks. The only action of the day occurred when the panel sent a note to the judge telling him that they didn’t need a written copy of the jury instructions.
On Thursday, the jury met for four hours and asked U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III if they could have a copy of the 135 pages of instructions. Ellis had given them a recording of the charge. The jury told Ellis on Friday that the recording was sufficient.
Ellis said he will still try to work to get the eight women and four men a written copy.
Legal experts tracking the case have said they expect the jury to take anywhere from three to five days to come up with a verdict, due to the complexity of the case. The trial is in its seventh week.
Jefferson has pleaded innocent to 16 counts of public corruption including bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and racketeering. Federal prosecutors said he used his congressional office and influence to push projects for American companies in Africa in return for payments to himself and family members.
Jefferson contends he was acting as a private businessman in the arrangements. He said he did not commit bribery because he never took official legislative acts for the companies such as appropriating government money, introducing legislation or voting on it.
Jurors have to sort through 12 alleged business schemes that prosecutors say were perpetrated by Jefferson. In one count alone, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, jurors must agree that Jefferson violated seven elements before returning a guilty verdict.
On racketeering, the jury must determine whether Jefferson orchestrated two of the 12 alleged schemes.
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