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| John Edwards walks free after chaotic end to corruption trial | John Edwards walks free after chaotic end to corruption trial |
| (4 months later) | |
| John Edwards, the former vice-presidential candidate who wrecked his political career with an extramarital affair, walked free from court on Thursday after a chaotic end to a month-long trial for using campaign funds to cover up his infidelity. | John Edwards, the former vice-presidential candidate who wrecked his political career with an extramarital affair, walked free from court on Thursday after a chaotic end to a month-long trial for using campaign funds to cover up his infidelity. |
| After nine days of deliberations, the jury was only able to reach a verdict on one count, declaring him not guilty of accepting illegal campaign contributions from supporter Rachel "Bunny" Mellon in 2008. | After nine days of deliberations, the jury was only able to reach a verdict on one count, declaring him not guilty of accepting illegal campaign contributions from supporter Rachel "Bunny" Mellon in 2008. |
| The judge declared a mistrial on the other five counts. | The judge declared a mistrial on the other five counts. |
| Edwards did not react when the developments were announced, but smiled about an hour earlier when the jury said it had reached a verdict on one count after nine days of deliberations. | Edwards did not react when the developments were announced, but smiled about an hour earlier when the jury said it had reached a verdict on one count after nine days of deliberations. |
| It was a shambolic end to a complicated trial. Late in the afternoon, the judge called jury members into court in the mistaken belief they had reached a verdict on all six counts. | It was a shambolic end to a complicated trial. Late in the afternoon, the judge called jury members into court in the mistaken belief they had reached a verdict on all six counts. |
| Instead, the jury told the judge they had come to a unanimous decision on only one charge, and the panel was sent back to the jury room for more talks. About an hour later, the jury sent the note to the judge saying they were deadlocked. | Instead, the jury told the judge they had come to a unanimous decision on only one charge, and the panel was sent back to the jury room for more talks. About an hour later, the jury sent the note to the judge saying they were deadlocked. |
| Prosecutors must now decided whether to re-try Edwards on the outstanding five charges. | Prosecutors must now decided whether to re-try Edwards on the outstanding five charges. |
| Outside court, Edwards thanked the jury and said that despite believing he had done nothing criminal, he admitted wrongdoing. "I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong, and there is no-one else that is responsible for my sins," he said. | Outside court, Edwards thanked the jury and said that despite believing he had done nothing criminal, he admitted wrongdoing. "I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong, and there is no-one else that is responsible for my sins," he said. |
| The trial provided an insight into the dramatic events behind the scenes as Edwards, 58, fought with his dying wife, Elizabeth, his aides and ultimately his political ambitions as he sought to keep a lid on his relationship with his pregnant mistress, Rielle Hunter, while trying to run as a Democratic presidential candidate in 2008. | The trial provided an insight into the dramatic events behind the scenes as Edwards, 58, fought with his dying wife, Elizabeth, his aides and ultimately his political ambitions as he sought to keep a lid on his relationship with his pregnant mistress, Rielle Hunter, while trying to run as a Democratic presidential candidate in 2008. |
| However, the judgment in the high-profile trial is unlikely to restore his battered reputation. At one point the wife of Andrew Young, a key political aide to the former senator, told the jury of the heartache Edwards put her family through when he persuaded her husband to publicly claim he was the father of Hunter's child. | However, the judgment in the high-profile trial is unlikely to restore his battered reputation. At one point the wife of Andrew Young, a key political aide to the former senator, told the jury of the heartache Edwards put her family through when he persuaded her husband to publicly claim he was the father of Hunter's child. |
| The jury also heard from Jennifer Palmieri, a close friend of Edwards' wife, who broke down in tears as she spoke of Elizabeth's final days, where she feared dying alone without "a man around to love her". Despite the separation, Edwards was at his wife's side when she died. | The jury also heard from Jennifer Palmieri, a close friend of Edwards' wife, who broke down in tears as she spoke of Elizabeth's final days, where she feared dying alone without "a man around to love her". Despite the separation, Edwards was at his wife's side when she died. |
| The former senator for North Carolina campaigned for president four years ago promise to bridge the gap between rich and poor, before he dropped out in January 2008. He was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2004. | The former senator for North Carolina campaigned for president four years ago promise to bridge the gap between rich and poor, before he dropped out in January 2008. He was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2004. |
| But his political ambitions ended after revelations of his affair with Hunter, which wrecked his marriage. He admitted the affair with Hunter publicly in August 2008 but continued to deny he was the father of her chid until 2010. His wife, who had breast cancer, separated from him shortly afterwards. She died in December 2010. | But his political ambitions ended after revelations of his affair with Hunter, which wrecked his marriage. He admitted the affair with Hunter publicly in August 2008 but continued to deny he was the father of her chid until 2010. His wife, who had breast cancer, separated from him shortly afterwards. She died in December 2010. |
| Edwards was indicted in June last year on six counts, four of them relating to whether he accepted illegal contributions to influence the outcome of the campaign. Each charge carried a penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. | Edwards was indicted in June last year on six counts, four of them relating to whether he accepted illegal contributions to influence the outcome of the campaign. Each charge carried a penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. |
| The federal government's case centred on $700,000 that an heiress, Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, now 101 years old, and another wealthy donor paid for the expenses of Hunter, a campaign videographer. | The federal government's case centred on $700,000 that an heiress, Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, now 101 years old, and another wealthy donor paid for the expenses of Hunter, a campaign videographer. |
| It argued that Edwards violated campaign finance laws by the undisclosed expenses, which were channelled via his political aide, Andrew Young. | It argued that Edwards violated campaign finance laws by the undisclosed expenses, which were channelled via his political aide, Andrew Young. |
| The jury, of eight men and four women, found him not guilty of illegally using campaign finances when directing Young to use money from two wealthy donors to conceal his affair with Hunter, her pregnancy and Frances Quinn Hunter, the daughter she bore him. | The jury, of eight men and four women, found him not guilty of illegally using campaign finances when directing Young to use money from two wealthy donors to conceal his affair with Hunter, her pregnancy and Frances Quinn Hunter, the daughter she bore him. |
| Following the verdict on Thursday, attention is expected to focus on the Department of Justice public integrity section, which pursued the prosecution. | Following the verdict on Thursday, attention is expected to focus on the Department of Justice public integrity section, which pursued the prosecution. |
| Much of the trial, in Greensboro, North Carolina, focussed on Young, who testified with immunity. The prosecution admit that he did a lot wrong, including once claiming paternity of Hunter's child and that he kept a lot of the money intended for Hunter. | Much of the trial, in Greensboro, North Carolina, focussed on Young, who testified with immunity. The prosecution admit that he did a lot wrong, including once claiming paternity of Hunter's child and that he kept a lot of the money intended for Hunter. |
| However, while Young identified Edwards as being behind the cover-up, he also testified that his boss assured him that the financial arrangement via the Youngs to Hunter was perfectly legal. | However, while Young identified Edwards as being behind the cover-up, he also testified that his boss assured him that the financial arrangement via the Youngs to Hunter was perfectly legal. |
| Laura Haggard, the chief financial officer for Edwards' 2008 campaign told the jury of a mandatory Federal Election Commission audit of the campaign funds. She said the FEC determined the campaign had received no excessive contributions and closed the audit without reporting donations from Mellon or the other donor, Fred Baron, as campaign contributions. | Laura Haggard, the chief financial officer for Edwards' 2008 campaign told the jury of a mandatory Federal Election Commission audit of the campaign funds. She said the FEC determined the campaign had received no excessive contributions and closed the audit without reporting donations from Mellon or the other donor, Fred Baron, as campaign contributions. |
| Edwards' defence was that the money was a personal gift from friends and that Young was behind the scenes, siphoning much of the money for himself and his wife, Cheri, to build a luxury home in Chapel Hill. | Edwards' defence was that the money was a personal gift from friends and that Young was behind the scenes, siphoning much of the money for himself and his wife, Cheri, to build a luxury home in Chapel Hill. |
| Defence attorney Abbe Lowell said the case rested on the difference between a wrong and a crime. | Defence attorney Abbe Lowell said the case rested on the difference between a wrong and a crime. |
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