Alabama: 'This is not politics as usual'

No verdict Saturday in gambling corruption trial; work resumes today
Prosecutor: 'This is not politics as usual'
By PHILLIP RAWLS
Associated Press

MONTGOMERY — The jury in Alabama’s gambling corruption trial ended its second day of deliberations Saturday without reaching a verdict and indicated there is much more work for the panel to do.

The sequestered jurors worked for about two hours late Friday afternoon and then met from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday. Jurors will resume work at 1 p.m. today. They are taking the morning off to attend religious services.

At the end of Saturday, the jury asked the judge to define “unlawful plan,” which is a key element of the conspiracy charge against eight of the nine defendants. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson said he will give an answer today after consulting with the lawyers.

“I don’t think this is really a big issue in terms of how it is going to affect the case,” the judge told defense lawyers.

Thompson pointed out that the conspiracy charge is the first in the 37-count indictment and that the jury’s question probably means the panel still has to look at other counts.

The defendants are accused of buying and selling votes on legislation designed to protect electronic bingo casinos from being closed by state police. Their case is being heard by a jury of 11 women and one man, who is serving as the jury’s foreman.

Defendants and their attorneys anticipate a lengthy decision process because of the large number of defendants and multiple charges against most defendants.

“I don’t think it’s going to a soon verdict,” independent Sen. Harri Anne Smith of Slocomb said as she waited in a nearly empty courtroom Saturday.

She said it was clear the jury would be thorough and take its time because the first thing jurors did Friday afternoon was lay out a meeting plan for several days and send a copy of the schedule to court officials.

In closing arguments, defense attorneys said there was nothing wrong with McGregor and the lobbyists discussing campaign contributions with legislators last year because it was an election year for all legislators and candidates must raise money to run.

Prosecutor Steve Feaga said the defendants crossed the line when they tied campaign contributions to voting yes on the gambling bill.

“This is not politics as usual,” he said. “This is bribery.”