Scheduling concerns suggest John Edwards jury not near verdict
NBC News and msnbc.com legal analyst Hampton Dellinger and Melinda Henneberger of The Washington Post discuss the long deliberations in the John Edwards trial, and the speculation surrounding a verdict.Updated at 6:38 p.m.: The judge in the campaign finance corruption trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards indicated Tuesday that proceedings could stretch well into June after a second closed-door meeting with prosecutors and defense attorneys.
Analysis: John Edwards jury speaks with its silence
For the second straight court day — there was no session Monday because of the Memorial Day holiday — U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles closed the courtroom in Greensboro, N.C., for about 45 minutes Tuesday morning. Court officials told NBC News she was discussing a "juror issue" with attorneys in the case.After closed discussion of 'jury matter,' John Edwards trial breaks for weekend
The judge in the John Edwards trial calls a closed door meeting with jurors on Friday. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.Updated at 5 p.m. ET: Jurors in the campaign finance corruption trial for former presidential candidate John Edwards went home for the holiday weekend without having reached a verdict, but not before the judge closed the courtroom for a private meeting with prosecutors and defense attorneys.
U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles told the lawyers that she had "a jury matter to discuss" with them. Thirty-seven minutes later, she sent the jurors home for the weekend, giving them extra instructions about the importance of not talking about the case outside their official deliberations.
She reminded them that they mustn't discuss the case with anyone — "as you walk back to your cars" or "in small groups."John Edwards jury appears to be settling in for the long haul
Updated at 4:49 p.m. ET: The jury in the campaign finance corruption trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards signaled Thursday that it may not be near a verdict.John Adkisson / ReutersJohn Edwards has worn what appears to be the same green tie all week to court in Greensboro, N.C. Asked whether it's his 'lucky tie,' Edwards replied, 'I'm not saying.'
As they broke for lunch on their fifth day of deliberations in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C., jurors asked Judge Catherine Eagles for 20 more exhibits to produced for review.
Stacey Klein is a producer for NBC News. M. Alex Johnson is a reporter for msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
Most of the requested exhibits relate to money provided by the late Fred Baron, the finance chief of Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign, that was used to pay for hotel rooms, private jets and other transportation expenses rung up as campaign officials moved Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter, around the country in an attempt to conceal their affair from the public.No verdict in John Edwards trial as jurors focus on Bunny Mellon
Jurors in the campaign finance corruption trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards were sent home for the day on Monday without having reached a verdict.Shawn Rocco / APJohn Edwards last week at the U.S. courthouse in Greensboro, N.C.
A third day of deliberations will begin Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. ET in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C., where Edwards — a former U.S. senator and the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee — is charged with six felony counts of accepting about $1 million in illegal and unreported campaign donations from two wealthy supporters at a time when individual contributions were limited to $2,300.Jury retires for weekend in John Edwards trial; quick verdict not expected
Updated at 6:51 p.m. ET: A jury of eight men and four women began deliberations Friday in the trial of former Sen. John Edwards and retired for the weekend after signaling that it could be some time before they reach a verdict.After 17 days of testimony, much of it focusing on Edwards' secret affair with Rielle Hunter, jurors made requests for specific evidence and deliberated for about five hours Friday. NBC's Lester Holt reports.
The racially diverse jury, which includes three members with finance-related jobs, is considering whether Edwards, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, "knowingly and willfully" violated a 1971 campaign finance law by orchestrating a scheme in which two wealthy donors provided almost $1 million to hide his pregnant mistress, Rielle Hunter, while he sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2008.
Chris Vaughn of NBC station WXII in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Ben Thompson of NBC station WCNC in Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this report by Stacey Klein of NBC News and M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
John Edwards case goes to the jury
Updated at 6:46 p.m. ET: John Edwards' fate is now in the hands of 12 anonymous jurors who will begin wading Friday through three weeks of at-times emotional, dramatic and intricate testimony about the former presidential candidate's affair with Rielle Hunter.John Edwards' defense team asked jurors to distinguish between a sin and a felony, attempting to pick apart the government's case against him. NBC's Lisa Myers reports from Greensboro, N.C.
Edwards is charged in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C., with six felony counts of accepting about $1 million in unreported campaign donations from two wealthy supporters at a time when election law limited individual donations to a candidate to $2,300.John Edwards case swings on two little words: 'the' or 'a'
Updated at 6:56 p.m. ET: John Edwards' fate could rest on what the word "the" means when his corruption trial enters its final phase Thursday morning.The defense rested Wednesday without calling John Edwards or his daughter Cate to the stand. Analysts say not testifying carries risks. NBC's Lisa Myers reports from Greensboro, N.C.
Closing statements in the former Democratic presidential candidate's trial begin Thursday at 9:15 a.m. ET in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C. That's where Edwards — a former U.S. senator and the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee — is charged with six felony counts of accepting about $1 million in unreported campaign donations from two wealthy supporters at a time when federal election law limited individual political contributions to $2,300 per election cycle.
Stacey Klein and Michael Austin of NBC News and Ben Edwards of NBC station WCNC of Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this report. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
Jury deliberations are expected to begin Friday.
The trial unexpectedly moved closer to a conclusion when Edwards' lawyers abruptly rested their case Wednesday morning without calling Edwards or his onetime mistress, Rielle Hunter.John Edwards and Rielle Hunter both could testify Wednesday, lawyers say
Updated at 6:55 p.m. ET: John Edwards' defense lawyers said Tuesday they might call both Edwards and Rielle Hunter, his mistress and the mother of his youngest daughter, to the stand Wednesday in his campaign finance corruption trial.A former FBI agent testifying for John Edwards said Edwards paid his mistress, Rielle Hunter, well after his presidential campaign had ended, supporting the defense contention that Edwards' support for Hunter was based on a personal relationship, not his political fortune. NBC's Lisa Myers reports from Greensboro, N.C.
Both have been on the defense's potential witness list from the beginning, as has Edwards' eldest daughter, Cate Edwards Upham. But speculation had swirled around the trial in Greensboro, N.C., that it might be too risky for the defense to call any of them to the stand.
Lisa Myers of NBC News, Stephanie Berzinski of NBC station WXII of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Ben Thompson of NBC station WCNC of Charlotte, N.C. contributed to this report by M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
Their names were on an updated list of possible witnesses that Edwards' lawyers gave the judge late Tuesday. Their appearance on the list doesn't mean they'll definitely testify; crafty defense lawyers have been known to list possible witnesses whom they have no intention of calling to throw prosecutors off the trail.Judge rules out testimony on FEC audit that cleared money for John Edwards' mistress
Updated at 5:50 p.m. ET: Jurors in the campaign finance trial of former Sen. John Edwards won't hear about a federal audit that concluded that almost $1 million used to help conceal his affair with Rielle Hunter did not amount to campaign contributions subject to federal regulation, the judge ruled Monday.John Edwards' daughter Cate will speak in court as early as Tuesday as the defense team attacks accusations that Edwards accepted illegal campaign contributions. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
Edwards, 58, a former U.S. senator from North Carolina and the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2004, is on trial in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C., where he is charged with six felony counts of accepting about $1 million in illegal and unreported campaign donations from two wealthy supporters during his 2008 presidential campaign.
Lisa Myers, Michael Austin and Stacey Klein of NBC News and Ben Thompson of NBC station WCNC of Charlotte, N.C. contributed to this report by M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
Judge rejects motion to dismiss charges against John Edwards
Updated at 6:59 p.m. ET: The judge in John Edwards' federal campaign finance trial rejected a defense motion to dismiss the charges against him Friday, a day after the prosecution rested its case.John Edwards' defense team argued that the prosecution hasn't shown that Edwards knew about money going to his mistress, Rielle Hunter. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
Edwards' defense team argued that prosecutors hadn't proven their case — an assessment many legal analysts agreed with, noting that many of the prosecution witnesses had actually bolstered Edwards' contention that nothing he did in accepting donations from prominent backers to support his mistress was actually a crime.
Lisa Myers, Jay Gray and Michael Austin of NBC News contributed to this report by M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
Obama aide says she knew John Edwards was lying about affair
During another emotional day at the John Edwards trial, Edwards' former press secretary recounted how Elizabeth Edwards angrily confronted a donor who was helping Rielle Hunter. NBC's Lisa Myers reports.
Updated at 6:40 p.m. ET: President Barack Obama's deputy communications director testified Wednesday that she knew former Sen. John Edwards was lying about his affair when she served as his presidential campaign spokeswoman.
The aide, Jennifer Palmieri, told jurors that she intentionally scheduled Edwards' interview with ABC News in August 2008 during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games to limit the potential audience for what she feared would be Edwards' intentional misstatements.
Lisa Myers, Michael Austin and Stacey Klein of NBC News and Ben Thompson of NBC station WCNC of Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this report by M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
Palmieri's testimony — a rare appearance by a sitting White House official in a criminal trial — came on the 13th day of Edwards' trial in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C., where he is charged with six felony counts of accepting about $1 million in illegal and unreported campaign donations from two wealthy supporters.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Full trial coverage of John Edwards pge 1
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