Judge tells deadlocked jury in Menendez case to keep going

NEWARK, N.J. — The jury in the bribery trial of Sen. Bob Menendez, DN.J., and a donor and friend told the judge it couldn’t reach a verdict on Monday on any of the 18 counts against them, prompting the judge to order it to resume deliberations on Tuesday.

The day 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 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 comments.

Four jurors and three alternates had, but after questioning, the judge told them to deliberate with an alternate replacing the excused juror.