The jury of seven women and five men returned its verdict at about 4 p.m. after deliberating the better portion of two days.Posted on 05/21/2008 3:28:48 PM PDT by SmithL
A federal court jury this afternoon acquitted former Memphis City Council member Edmund Ford Jr. on charges of taking bribes in 2006 in return for his vote and influence on a development and billboard project.
The jury of seven women and five men returned its verdict at about 4 p.m. after deliberating the better portion of two days.
As a smiling Ford walked out of the federal court room, he said in a loud voice, “My Lord, the Savior is awesome. He is awesome. I just love my Lord.”
Ford, 52, a mortician, was indicted on three counts of extortion and three counts of bribery in a case built around secret audio and video recordings that showed him pocketing four cash payments totaling $8,900 from political consultant Joe Cooper who was working under FBI supervision.
Federal prosecutors said the payments were bribes for Ford’s votes and influence in a development project on the south loop of Interstate 240, removal of a city billboard moratorium and the replacement of the chairman of the Board of Adjustment.
Ford’s two-pronged defense included that he was hounded by Cooper and persuaded to take money he had never requested. He also contended that he thought the payments were loans for his monthly car note and for a mortgage down payment Cooper was arranging for Ford to help finance his Whitehaven funeral home.
Defense attorney Michael Scholl said Ford had never before taken money for political favors and that the FBI had no reason to begin investigating his client.
Federal prosecutors Larry Laurenzi and Tom Colthurst said it makes no difference if Ford thought the money was a loan or for a monthly car payment on Ford’s Cadillac that Cooper had helped finance by using developer Rusty Hyneman as a cosigner.
The money was for Ford influence, they said.
Ford also acknowledged in trial that developer Jackie Welch had loaned him $40,000 which, he said, he is still paying back.
Cooper testified in the seven-day trial that he cooperated with authorities in hopes of getting a sentencing break on his conviction last year of laundering money by selling Cadillacs to drug dealers.
“It just came down to a credibility issue," Scholl said. "I think the key point was my client was innocent. I think we had the truth on our side.”
The case, dubbed Mainstreet Sweeper, also resulted in the indictment of then-City Council member Rickey Peete, who pleaded guilty last year to accepting $14,500 from Cooper for the same voting issues.
Peete is serving a 51-month prison sentence in Montgomery, Ala.
Lead federal prosecutor Laurenzi said, “We accept the jury’s verdict. It’s not whether we win or lose, it’s that justice is done. And we accept the jury’s verdict.”
Perhaps they imported the jury from Los Angeles.
Why did the Federal court jury want his vote and influence on a development and billboard project? (must be a second-shift editor or is this vacation week?)
That or weak prosecution against a high-powered defense. It sounds like the star witness was pretty slimy. I’ll bet Peete is kicking himself in the butt all around the cell right now.
Weak sting operative! Local thug.
Having been on a jury here in Memphis, it does not surprise me. “I can be impartial” turns into “I can’t judge somebody,” or the “the cops were out to get him.”
I waiting for the Jury Nullification quote:
“There are already too many of our black men in prison”.....
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