A juror in the corruption trial of Sen. Bob Menendez has been replaced as the jury ended 16 hours of deliberations this week without reaching a verdict.
The juror had longstanding vacation plans that Judge William Walls had agreed to honor. Deliberations will resume Monday morning, but the move in essence means jurors have to start over deliberations with the alternate present. Alternate jurors watched the proceedings of the 10-week trial and heard all of the arguments, but have been kept separate from the main jury panel during deliberations.
Menendez, a Democratic senator from New Jersey, is accused of accepting lavish gifts from his friend, Dr. Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist. In exchange, prosecutors say that Menendez acted on Melgen’s behalf in various government dealings, including pressuring the Obama administration over a multimillion-dollar Medicare dispute. Both Menendez and Melgen have maintained their innocence.
Menendez told reporters that he understands the jury has “a lot to go through” in their deliberations. The men are charged with 18 counts, and jurors were shown nearly 300 exhibits and heard from nearly 60 witnesses over the course of 10 weeks.
“I have every expectation that based upon all of the facts that have been presented at this trial if they listen to the law and the facts, I am convinced we will be exonerated and that’s worth waiting for,” Menendez told reporters outside of court Wednesday.
Asked by a reporter if he is ready for the judgment, Menendez responded: “I am past ready for judgment day.”
So far, jurors have asked one question of the court. On Tuesday, a juror asked for a portion of Menendez attorney Abbe Lowell’s closing arguments in which he discussed the “definition of a senator.” Walls declined the juror’s request because closing arguments are not considered evidence.
The jury will continue to be comprised of seven women and five men.