MIAMI, Fla.–In its fourth day of deliberations in the federal public corruption trial of former Tallahassee mayor and 2018 Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Gillum, a jury reached a decision on one count of the indictment but appeared to be deadlocked on the other charges.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, the jury suggested it agreed on one count of the indictment that accuses Gillum of lying to FBI agents about accepting gifts from lobbyists when he was the mayor.
The jury started their deliberations on Friday, April 28 after two weeks of testimony and closing arguments from federal prosecutors and Gillum’s defense attorneys.
Initially, the jury struggled to reach a verdict and needed some guidence about the first count of the indictment accusing Gillum of making false statements to FBI agents who interviewed him in 2017.
The FBI said Gillum allegedly accepted gifts from lobbyists including Broadway musical tickets, hotel accommodations, dinner and a boat ride during a trip to New York in 2016.
He was accompanied by his brother Marcus Gillum and their former friend and former lobbyist Adam Corey.
Winsor said one was enough.
During the trial, Corey testified against Gillum, telling the court he exchanged text messages with the former Tallahassee mayor about concert tickets.
The text messages were confirmed in the courtroom.
In addition, an FBI agent overseeing the investigation questioned Gillium on accepting money and gifts from Southern Pines Development Inc., a fictional company undercover agents used as part of their sting to unravel possible corruption at City Hall.
Gillum’s defense attorneys argued that FBI agents never asked him specifically about the alleged gifts, and that his statements during the FBI interview concerned a material matter.
Another possible blow to the defense was the judge allowed into evidence Gillum’s settlement of a 2019 ethics complaint for the New York trip where Gillum agreed to pay a $5,000 fine for accepting gifts from a lobbyist.
While one count of the indictment has been decided by jurors, they remained without a consensus on the other counts of the indictment against Gillum.
Gillum was also indicted along with Sharon Lettman-Hicks, owner of P&P Communications and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, for allegedly funneling campaign contributions to themselves.
He and Letterman-Hicks were charged with one count of conspiracy and 17 counts of wire fraud, forcing Letterman-Hicks to suspend her campaign for a Florida House seat to focus on her legal problems.
If convicted, Gillum faces years in federal prison.
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