The Politics Hour: Montgomery County's trash and an RFK campus master plan heads to the D.C. Council

Before we go to Montgomery County, Tom Sherwood, in the District of Columbia, the third day of deliberations in the trial of D.C. Councilmember Treon White for bribery is underway and no resolution in sight.

The jurors apparently indicating to the judge at one point that they could not reach agreement.

The judge says you haven't been really deliberating that long.

I don't think I have to say anything else.

The jury has sent a couple of notes to Judge Contreras in the federal court this past week, but they sent another note to him today saying that the jury is unable to reach a unanimous verdict, which it has to reach in this trial today.

bribery case against Ward 8 Councilmember Treon White, arrested back in August of 2024, videotaped, photographed, taking money.

He and his defense team, and he admitted he took the money, but didn't do anything in response for the money, and that he should not be convicted of bribery, federal bribery, which carries up to 15 years in prison.

but he's a first-time offender if he's convicted, so he wouldn't get nearly that amount of time.

But as we are now, as we sit here, the jury was going to be lunching, and then they were going to meet again and see if they can come to a unanimous verdict, which is required.

So we won't indulge in the speculation that has preceded all of this about jury nullification, will we?

Well, it only takes one juror to say, I don't think Treon White is guilty, or I'm uncertain, and so therefore I'm not going to vote guilty.

And then it will be a hung jury in that phrase.

And then the U.S. attorney prosecutors would then have to decide, if that remains the case, whether they will bring the case up again.

Thank you for just stating the facts.

I'm not indulging in the speculation that I was trying to get you to.

Yes,

we don't really need any speculation.

Everyone says, well, what do you think? They've been out so long.

Lawyers will tell you.

You don't

know what the jury's going to do until they do.

Before we go to Montgomery County, Tom Sherwood, in the District of Columbia, the third day of deliberations in the trial of D.C. Councilmember Treon White for bribery is underway and no resolution in sight.

The jurors apparently indicating to the judge at one point that they could not reach agreement.

The judge says you haven't been really deliberating that long.

I don't think I have to say anything else.

The jury has sent a couple of notes to Judge Contreras in the federal court this past week, but they sent another note to him today saying that the jury is unable to reach a unanimous verdict, which it has to reach in this trial today.

bribery case against Ward 8 Councilmember Treon White, arrested back in August of 2024, videotaped, photographed, taking money.

He and his defense team, and he admitted he took the money, but didn't do anything in response for the money, and that he should not be convicted of bribery, federal bribery, which carries up to 15 years in prison.

but he's a first-time offender if he's convicted, so he wouldn't get nearly that amount of time.

But as we are now, as we sit here, the jury was going to be lunching, and then they were going to meet again and see if they can come to a unanimous verdict, which is required.

So we won't indulge in the speculation that has preceded all of this about jury nullification, will we?

Well, it only takes one juror to say, I don't think Treon White is guilty, or I'm uncertain, and so therefore I'm not going to vote guilty.

And then it will be a hung jury in that phrase.

And then the U.S. attorney prosecutors would then have to decide, if that remains the case, whether they will bring the case up again.

Thank you for just stating the facts.

I'm not indulging in the speculation that I was trying to get you to.

Yes,

we don't really need any speculation.

Everyone says, well, what do you think? They've been out so long.

Lawyers will tell you.

You don't

know what the jury's going to do until they do.