Interest in the jury deliberations in the corruption trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey intensified after the first three days of deliberation, and one jurist was replaced with an alternate juror. In covering the Menendez jury deliberations, New Jersey State’s leading law journal, The New Jersey Law Journal, interviewed and reported on Robert G. Stahl’s assessment of the state of the jury, in their article: “Trial Watchers Expect Just a Few More Days of Deliberations for Menendez Jury.“

The jurors are tasked with deciding on Mendendez’s innocence or guilt for 18 criminal counts, after two months of testimony regarding New Jersey’s senior senator and fellow defendant, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen.

Robert Stahl, a white-collar defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, anticipates that the jurors will be able to come to a consensus within the next week, despite reports from Evelyn Arroyo-Maultsby who found the deliberations very stressful. Arroyo-Maultsby was excused from the jury for a long planned vacation.

Read New Jersey Law Journal’s full article on Menendez jury deliberations, and Robert Stahl’s explanation of his optimistic view that the jury will be able to reach a consensus by the end of the week, based on the jury process, which often includes:

  • An initial polling of jurors by the foreperson
  • Airing of viewpoints from more forceful jurors
  • More reserved jurists’ contributions
  • Working together to reach a consensus

Stahl commented on Menendez’s lawyer reference to the Supreme Court 2016 ruling in McDonnell v. United States, which narrows the definition of what can be considered an official act in a bribery.