Menendez jury claims to be deadlocked
Comments of dismissed juror trouble attorneys
NEWARK, N.J. — The jury in the bribery trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and a wealthy donor and friend told the judge it couldn’t reach a verdict Monday on any of the 18 counts against them, prompting the judge to order it to return Tuesday to continue deliberating.
The development capped a tumultuous day that began with defense attorneys arguing with U.S. District Judge William Walls over a different issue: public comments made last week by a juror who had been excused for a previously scheduled vacation.
The juror told reporters she and others were in favor of acquittal but she anticipated a hung jury. Defense attorneys pressed the judge to question jurors on whether any had heard the excused juror’s comments.
Four jurors and three alternates had, but after questioning them in private the judge directed the jury to restart deliberations with an alternate replacing the excused juror.
Three hours later, the jurors sent a note saying they couldn’t “reach a unanimous verdict on any of the charges.” The judge instructed them to “have a good meal and good sleep” and return Tuesday.
Menendez seemed buoyed by the jurors’ note.
“As I said two and a half years ago when I first faced these charges, I was innocent,” he said. “And clearly there are jurors who believe in my innocence.”
A mistrial would be a major setback for the government, which spent more than two years investigating the New Jersey senator’s ties with Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen before indicting them in the spring of 2015.