DeLay pleased with lengthy jury deliberation
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The jury is still deliberating in the political corruption trial for Tom DeLay. Closing arguments wrapped up Monday after three long weeks of testimony.
DeLay has been fighting criminal charges in Travis County since 2005, when the district attorney’s office indicted him for political money laundering.
In court Tuesday, Judge Pat Priest became frustrated with the defense and the prosecution after each side took too long to provide court records to the jury.
The jury requested to see e-mail and phone records as well as the Federal Express bill for $190,000 that was mailed to the Republican National Committee.
A key question from the jury was if money can be legally attained to later turn into illegal money. The judge referred them to page two of the charge of the court, which offered the definition for money laundering as prescribed by law.
The deliberations will continue Wednesday, and DeLay tells News 8 he is pleased the jury is "focused" on the the law.
"If they are looking at the law, then I am going to be okay," he said.
The former house majority leader has consistently said he is an innocent man.
“I still maintain this is a political vendetta by a rouge district attorney,” DeLay said. “There is no substance to this case, there is no crime.”
When the jury asked for the definition of money fraud, Judge Priest told them he was afraid they were getting off track.
If convicted of money laundering, DeLay faces up to life in prison.