Judges Wait on Their own Jury Verdict

U.S. District Court Judge Henry T. Wingate placed a judicial bribery case into the hands of 12 jurors late Thursday, after a day of closing arguments from defense attorneys and a prosecutor whose voice cracked with emotion as she wrapped up the government's case.^[1]

Attorney Paul Minor and former state court judges John Whitfield and Wes Teel are counting on the justice system they tried to circumvent as they wait to their own verdict.^[2] Minor allegedly bribed Whitfield with $140,000 in loans and payments and other cash gifts; Teel allegedly received a $25,000 loan that Minor later repaid through a third party, plus assistance and $10,000 to defend him against unrelated state charges that didn't stick.^[3]

December 2001 Minor's client, The Peoples Bank, got a settlement of $1.5 million in a case Teel handled in Chancery Court.^[4] Minor's firm won a $3.6 million verdict Circuit Court Judge Whitfield awarded in July 2000 to an injured offshore worker.^[5] According to prosecutors, Minor’s bribed the judges by securing and making loan payments for the judges.^[6] Bribery is the root of 14 felony charges leveled against the defendants, including conspiracy and fraud and, in Minor's case, racketeering.^[7]

Bribery
Under 18 U.S.C. § 201, it is a crime for a person to corruptly give anything of value to any public official with the intent to influence any official act.^[8]The punishment for violating section 201 is a fine of up to $250,000 or not more than three times the monetary equivalent of the thing of value, whichever is greater, imprisonment for up to fifteen years, or both.^[9]

RICO Violations
Under 18 U.S.C. § 1962, it is a crime for a person associated with an enterprise engaged in interstate or foreign commerce to conduct or participate, directly or indirectly, in the conduct of that enterprise’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity.^[10]The term “racketeering activity” includes bribery and mail and wire fraud.^[11] The punishment for violating section 1962 is a fine, imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both.^[12]

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^[1] Anita Lee, Closing arguments given in bribery case, Bradenton Herald, March 30, 2007.
^[2] Id.
^[3] Id.
^[4] Id.
^[5] Id.
^[6] Id.
^[7] Id.
^[8] 18 U.S.C. § 201(b)(1)(A) (2007).
^[9] Id. § 201(b).
^[10] 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c) (2007).
^[11] Id. § 1961(1)(b).
^[12] Id. § 1963(a).