WASHINGTON, D.C. — The fight over whether D.C. Council member Trayon White faces a second bribery trial in Washington heads back to federal court Oct. 22, when a judge will hear his request to be acquitted outright.
White, who represents Ward 8, stood trial on a federal bribery charge, and the judge declared a mistrial Sept. 28 when the jury deadlocked. Nine jurors favored acquittal and three favored conviction.
At the heart of the case is an FBI informant who sought help with District contracts. The government says White took $35,000 in cash in exchange for helping keep violence intervention contracts in place. White has pleaded not guilty.
His lawyers say the evidence showed ordinary constituent work and advocacy, not a corrupt deal, and they want the judge to bar a retrial on double jeopardy grounds. They also argue jurors heard evidence that unfairly cast him as corrupt.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, has said it will retry the case. In its written response, the office points to recordings from the trial and says a reasonable jury could still convict.
Section: More Washington DC crime news
