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Menendez Jury Fails Again to Reach Verdict at Bribery Trial

Menendez Jury Fails Again to Reach Verdict at Bribery Trial

(Bloomberg) -- Jurors at the bribery trial of Senator Robert Menendez failed again to reach a verdict during their sixth full day of deliberations before returning bleary-eyed to the courtroom where the judge sent them home.

The panel returns Thursday to try again in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, where the New Jersey Democrat and his co-defendant, Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor and political donor, are accused of conspiracy, bribery, honest-services fraud and violating the Travel Act. Menendez is also accused of false statements.

Prosecutors say Menendez took bribes from Melgen including private jet travel and campaign contributions in exchange for the senator’s help in various disputes Melgen had with the U.S. government. Lawyers for Menendez and Melgen said they exchanged gifts out of an abiding friendship, not a corrupt relationship.

To contact the reporters on this story: David Voreacos in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, at dvoreacos@bloomberg.net, Neil Weinberg in New York at nweinberg2@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jeffrey D Grocott at jgrocott2@bloomberg.net, David S. Joachim, Paul Cox

©2017 Bloomberg L.P.