March 06, 2018 - 12:00 PM
NEW YORK - The Latest on deliberations at the trial of a former top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo (all times local):
3:10 p.m.
A jury that hit a wall in deliberations at the bribery trial of a former aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is getting a day off.
Federal Judge Valerie Caproni cited a storm and snow in telling jurors at the end of their day Tuesday to take Wednesday off.
Her announcement in the trial of Joseph Percoco and three businessmen came after a jury foreman said jurors were deadlocked and three jurors asked to be excused.
The judge told jurors to return Thursday morning. Earlier Tuesday, she confronted a jury note in which the foreman said jurors could agree only that they disagree.
She read them a special instruction to get them to rededicate themselves to their work.
Prosecutors say Percoco took over $300,000 in bribes. Defence lawyers say he did not.
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12:30 p.m.
The jury foreman at the bribery trial of a former top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo says jurors can only agree that they disagree.
The message was delivered Tuesday in a series of notes at the trial of Joseph Percoco and three businessmen. The judge instructed the jurors to try again.
Several panelists also were trying to be relieved from jury duty. That issue was not immediately addressed.
The trial is in its sixth week.
Prosecutors say Percoco accepted more than $300,000 in bribes from the businessmen, who needed help from the state. Percoco and the businessmen have maintained their innocence.
The Democratic governor has not been accused of wrongdoing.
Jurors had seemed relatively quiet before their fourth day of deliberations began Tuesday.
News from © The Associated Press, 2018