DAY THIRTY-THREE
A panel of twelve jurors in the federal corruption trial of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez spent three hours deliberating on Friday afternoon at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse in Lower Manhattan without agreeing on a verdict in the government’s eighteen-count indictment. They will return on Monday morning at 9:30 AM.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: U.S. District Court Judge Sidney Stein instructed jurors that “U.S. citizens may act as agents of a foreign government if they properly register as such, but not public officials like sitting U.S. senators.”
DAYS SINCE THE INDICTMENT: 293
DAYS SINCE MENENDEZ’S LAST CRIMINAL TRIAL ENDED: 2,428
DAYS SINCE MENENDEZ’S CURRENT CRIMINAL TRIAL BEGAN: 61
MISSED VOTES: 45
There were no Senate votes on Friday
To refresh your recollection: in Bob Menendez’s 2017 corruption trial, the jury deliberated for four days before declaring themselves a hung jury. Ten of the twelve jurors (83%) thought Menendez was innocent. The judge declared a mistrial, the Justice Department dropped the charges, and Menendez was re-elected by eleven points against an opponent who put nearly $40 million of his own money into the race.
And in case you’re keeping track: it’s been 43 years and 70 days since a United States Senator from New Jersey was last convicted of accepting a bribe.
WHAT DID MENENDEZ SAY: “I have faith in God and in the jury.”
JURORS ASK FOR ONE LAST LUNCH TOGETHER
— A Senator’s Fate Is in a Jury’s Hands from New York Times’ Benjamin Weiser and Tracey Tully: The Manhattan jury in Senator Robert Menendez’s corruption trial began its deliberations midday Friday on a raft of federal charges in what prosecutors describe as a complex and yearslong bribery conspiracy … On Friday, shortly before 1 p.m., Judge Stein finished instructing the six-woman, six-man jury on the law. He then said he had been informed that the 12 jurors and five alternate jurors, who had sat with them throughout the two-month trial as potential backups, had asked to eat one last lunch together as a group, before the 12 went in to deliberate. ‘That’s perfectly fine,’ the judge said, but he cautioned that the 12-member jury could not be begin deliberations until after lunch, because all 17 of them would be present. Then, shortly after 2 p.m., the jurors returned to the courtroom, and the 12-member jury was sent to deliberate.”
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
— Jury ends first day of deliberations in Sen. Bob Menendez’s corruption trial without a verdict from News 12’s Chris Keating: “The jury deciding the fate of Sen. Robert Menendez started deliberating for three hours before stopping work for the day without a verdict. They will return on Monday. It is the first time the panel of New Yorkers is allowed to speak with one another about all the evidence they’ve heard and seen during the trial. Earlier in the day jurors were instructed by Judge Sidney Stein that their ‘function is to weigh the evidence…You must reach a unanimous verdict on each charge.’ Stein then helped them to decipher the verdict sheet which charges Menendez and two other defendants with bribery, conspiracy, obstruction and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt … Judge Stein reminded them although Menendez did not take the stand to testify, they should not attach any significance to that fact. They were also reminded that the government must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
THE JOSH GROBAN CAMEO IN A SENATOR ON TRIAL
— Jurors begin deliberating in Sen. Menendez’s corruption trial from New Jersey Monitor’s Dana DiFilippo: “The jurors — who had appeared increasingly bored as the trial wore on — seemed downright excited as they headed in to the private jury deliberation room, the judge’s lengthy jury charge and verdict sheet in hand. They traded waves, smiles, and peace signs with five alternate jurors they left behind in the courtroom, who Stein thanked for their service and sent home for the afternoon … Menendez has maintained his innocence since his September indictment, saying his actions were the normal work of a U.S. senator and prosecutors were motivated by racism. Early mornings, while waiting for court to start and during breaks, he has gazed at the city’s skyline from courthouse windows, sang and hummed Josh Groban songs and other tunes, greeted and hugged relatives and other well-wishers who showed up in support, and posed for occasional selfies with courthouse staff.”
* Jurors in Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial begin deliberations
* Jury in Sen. Menendez’s corruption trial ends first day of deliberations without a verdict
* Jury begins deliberations in Sen. Bob Menendez’s federal corruption trial
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