A federal jury deliberating the racketeering conspiracy
case against Ironworkers union boss Joseph Dougherty returned to work Tuesday,
after a week of deliberations fraught with apparent conflict.
The jury of seven women and five men have spent four days
weighing allegations that Dougherty, 73, oversaw a union that muscled its way
into jobs by threatening contractors who refused to hire its workers and
exacting revenge through arsons and acts of sabotage.
But deliberations, so far, have appeared fraught with
conflict. Last week, U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson called jurors back to
the courtroom to instruct them that they must deliberate in the case.
This came after one or more jurors apparently refused to
participate in continuing discussion of the case.
On Friday, the panel returned to work, asked to rehear
two FBI wiretap recordings and sought definitions of attempt, intent and motive
from the judge.
The questions about the first two terms refer to what can
be a thorny issue for juries: Can a person be convicted of a crime without
participating directly in its commission?
Dougherty is accused of waging a six-year campaign of
arson, violence and intimidation against nonunion contractors who refused to
hire his workers.
His lawyer maintains there is no evidence the Local 401
business manager was personally involved in committing or approving of any of
the 25 acts of vandalism and extortion singled out by prosecutors.
Prosecutors say that whether or not Dougherty
specifically ordered the attacks, he implicitly encouraged them and did nothing
to stop future incidents after learning about specific acts of violence.
The 12 jurors began deliberating Jan. 13 after six days
of testimony.
Source: Philly.com
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