Jury Deliberations On Hold In Ex-Mayor’s Case

Update: The jury deciding the fate of former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin had to pause because one juror didn't show up Tuesday morning. There are alternate jurors that can be tapped but the 12-person jury in the corruption trial of Nagin should continue Wednesday morning.

Nagin defense lawyers say witnesses in the case were not being honest in their testimony. Witnesses say the former mayor accepted bribes.

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Update: Chris Miller of WWL is reporting, "An unspecified "juror problem" has delayed deliberations in the federal corruption trial of former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. Deliberations will resume tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m."

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jury deliberations in the complex 21-count criminal case against former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin were suppose to resume after an overnight break.

The jury broke for last night after hearing closing arguments in the morning and deliberating for more than three hours in the afternoon. They're expected to get back to work on the case this morning.

Prosecutors claim Nagin took bribes worth more than $500,000 in a string of alleged crimes that began before Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 and continued during the recovery from the catastrophic storm.

Defense attorney Robert Jenkins says the prosecution misled jurors with a case largely built on testimony from businessmen who entered plea deals in the case and told prosecutors what they wanted to hear in hopes of getting light sentences.