Jury starts deliberating in ex-congressman's trial
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Jury deliberations have started in the corruption trial of a former Louisiana congressman who gained notoriety after FBI agents found $90,000 hidden in his freezer.
William Jefferson, a Democrat who represented parts of New Orleans, is accused of receiving more than $400,000 in bribes and soliciting millions more in exchange for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa.
Jefferson's attorneys say he was acting as a private business consultant and his actions did not constitute bribery under federal law.
The jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon, following about six weeks of testimony.
In August 2005, FBI agents searched Jefferson's Washington home and found the cash hidden in his freezer.
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