Feds intend to re-try Menendez


By MATT FRIEDMAN
01/19/2018 02:39 PM EST

Two months after a jury failed to come to a verdict in the corruption case against Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez and co-defendant Salomon Melgen, the Justice Department on Friday said they want to retry them.
The department filed a one paragraph notice of intent in federal to retry the case.

“The United States files this notice of intent to retry the defendants and requests that the Court set the case for retrial at the earliest possible date,” reads the notice, signed by Annalou Tirol, acting chief of the public integrity section. “Defendants Robert Menendez and Salomon Melgen have been indicted for bribery and corruption by two separate grand juries properly empaneled in the District of New Jersey. The first trial ended in a mistrial with a deadlocked jury. An early retrial date is in the best interests of the public, and the United States is available to schedule a retrial at the Court’s earliest convenience.”

A jury deadlocked on Nov. 16 after a two-and-a-half month trial. One juror told reporters that the jury was 10-2 in favor of acquittal.
Menendez is up for reelection this year.

Federal authorities allege Menendez did political favors for Melgen, a Florida eye doctor, in exchange for hotel stays, private jet flights and hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...artment-350904