A federal judge declared a mistrial in the corruption case against Sen. Bob Menendez on Thursday after jurors informed him they were intractably deadlocked. The jurors had been deliberating since last week.
Judge William Walls made the decision after interviewing some of the jurors, saying “further deliberations would be futile.”
Menendez was facing 12 charges of conspiracy and bribery based on his relationship with wealthy Florida ophthalmologist. Prosecutors alleged he gave the doctor political favors in exchange for more than $600,000 in political contributions and assorted luxurious gifts.
“We cannot reach a unanimous decision,” the jury told Walls in a Thursday-morning note, according to Menendez’s attorney Abbe Lowell. “Nor are we willing to move away from our strong convictions.”
Based on that note, Lowell petitioned Walls for a mistrial.
“They are telling us in the clearest terms possible that they have done their job as diligent jurors,” he said. “I think we have a real hung jury.” Federal prosecutors have not indicated publicly whether they plan to pursue another trial or whether they will allow their five-year investigation into Menendez’s conduct to lapse.
