The New Jersey judge in Sen. Bob Menendez’s federal corruption trial sent the jury home to “clear their heads” Monday after jurors informed him they were deadlocked on a verdict.
The move was Judge William Walls’s latest attempt to restore order to a high-profile trial that has grown chaotic since a now-excused juror told reporters last Thursday that she thought prosecutors were “railroading” Menendez.
Menendez faces 12 corruption charges over accusations that he sold political access to Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen in exchange for nearly $1 million in trips and personal gifts. Menendez has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Evelyn Arroyo-Maultsby, formerly Juror No. 8, was excused from the jury on Thursday to take a previously planned vacation in the Bahamas. On her way out, however, she claimed she had been prevented from communicating with the judge and that other jurors had wanted to “wait her out” before issuing a verdict.
On Monday, with a new juror slotted in Arroyo-Maultsby’s place, Judge Walls attempted to move past the media moment, telling jurors that “you are starting fresh.”
“Forget about what happened last week,” he said. “This is the jury.”
But Walls was forced to delay proceedings again after four jurors and three alternates said they had heard about Arroyo-Maultsby’s press comments. After questioning these jurors privately, Walls decided there was no need to dismiss them.
The trial will resume Tuesday morning.
