As the week stretches on in Newark, jurors have not yet reached a verdict in the corruption case against Sen. Bob Menendez.
Jurors have deliberated for more than 11 hours since Monday. Thursday is the final day of deliberations for the week, since court is closed Friday in observance of the Veterans’ Day holiday.
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.”
Deliberations could be snarled if they continue into next week, since one juror is scheduled to be on vacation next week. One of the five remaining alternates would have to replace that juror.
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.” Judge William Walls declined the juror’s request because closing arguments are not considered evidence.
