Apr 15, 2008 2:15 pm US/Eastern
Deliberations Continue In Ex-Newark Mayor Trial
NEWARK (AP) ―
The jury in the corruption trial of former Newark Mayor Sharpe James starts its fifth day of its deliberations with a reading of testimony.
The 12 jurors adjourned Monday afternoon during the reading when one of them became ill.
The jury has spent about 22 hours considering charges that James abused his office by steering discounted city land to a one-time mistress, Tamika Riley, who is also on trial.
They got the case last week after hearing five weeks of testimony. Neither James nor Riley took the stand.
On Monday, jury heard its first reading of testimony but did not conclude work on its fourth day of its deliberations.
The 12 jurors returned Tuesday. They have spent about 22 hours considering charges that James abused his office by steering discounted city land to a one-time mistress, Tamika Riley, who is also on trial.
The jury requested to hear the testimony of JoAnne Watson, the city's top lawyer during the end of James' 20-year tenure as mayor of the state's largest city.
Watson, called by federal prosecutors, said contracts that James signed that gave land to Riley barred city employees from having a conflict of interest in the transaction.
James did not disclose his relationship with Riley, testimony revealed. However, under cross-examination, she said that corporate or business interests, not personal relationships, are to be disclosed.
Prosecutors have conceded that James, 72, got no financial benefit from his affair with Riley, 39.
Prosecutors charged that James abused his office and betrayed his constituents by arranging for the sale of nine city-owned properties for $46,000 to Riley from 2001 to 2005. Riley quickly sold them for $665,000 without ever starting required rehabilitation work on most of them, prosecutors said.
James' lawyer maintained that no evidence links the former mayor to land deals that prosecutors say made big profits for Riley.
Riley's lawyer told jurors that she got no special treatment because of her relationship with the mayor and that her real estate lawyers failed her.
Jurors got the case last week after hearing five weeks of testimony, although neither James nor Riley took the stand.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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