John Edwards Jury Delayed by Mystery Note - East Idaho News
National News

John Edwards Jury Delayed by Mystery Note

  Published at

051412JohnEdwardsCourtroomCornell?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1338406402896SKETCH BY CHRISTINE CORNELL(GREENSBORO, N.C.) — A note from a juror briefly stalled deliberations again in the John Edwards campaign-finance trial Wednesday, causing Judge Catherine Eagles to hold a closed-door session to deal with a jury matter — the third such delay in as many days.

It is unknown what information was contained in the note.

Deliberations dragged into their eighth day Wednesday adding to the anticipation of waiting for a verdict.

The judge signaled Tuesday that potential scheduling conflicts could cause further delays. Some jurors have requested time off for personal matters, like attending a child’s high school graduation. The judge said she will soon have a meeting in her chambers to address those conflicts.

The panel of eight men and four women Wednesday spent the morning deliberating before breaking for lunch. They have logged more than forty hours of deliberations since lawyers ended their arguments on May 18. Edwards and his legal team had, until Wednesday, waited out every day of deliberations from a second-floor room inside the courthouse. Early on, Edwards could sometimes be seen pacing the room and looking out the window at journalists assembled outside.

Edwards was not at the courthouse Wednesday morning, but came back following a lunch break. Edwards, a two-time presidential candidate and former senator, is accused of using nearly $1 million in donations from wealthy political backers to hide his mistress and love child during his 2008 campaign.

If convicted Edwards faces up to 30 years in prison and be fined as much as $1.5 million, although it is unlikely he would face the severest penalties.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION