John Edwards has just been found NOT GUILTY on one of six campaign fraud charges stemming from his 2008 run for President — the judge declared a mistrial on the remaining counts after jurors deadlocked.
Edwards was found “not guilty” of receiving illegal campaign contributions.
The jury failed to reach a verdict on the other charges — including three additional counts of illegal campaign contributions, one count of conspiracy, and one count of making false statements.
The jury — 8 men, 4 women — reached today’s verdict after 9 days of deliberations.
The two-time former Presidential candidate was charged with the six counts of campaign finance fraud for allegedly using nearly $1 million in campaign contributions to hide his mistress Rielle Hunter and their lovechild from the public.
Edwards faced a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine.
In closing arguments, Edwards’ lawyer had told the jury the money to hide his mistress came from a former campaign treasurer and an elderly supporter — both of whom gave Edwards the money as a gift for his benefit … not as part of his campaign.
Edwards’ lawyer said the money was used to hide his affair from his dying wife, claiming, “John was a bad husband, but there is not the remotest chance that John did or intended to violate the law.”
We don’t know if prosecutors will push for a retrial.
Related articles
- Edwards Jurors Still Deliberating (huffingtonpost.com)
- Jury to Begin Deliberations in John Edwards Case (abcnews.go.com)
- John Edwards’ defense calls first witnesses (charlotte.news14.com)
- Edwards’s Damning Twitter Trail (thedailybeast.com)
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