Milan jury to deliberate for a third day

By CLINT RILEY
Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN

Jurors considering federal corruption charges against Camden Mayor Milton Milan did not reach a verdict Thursday, the first full day of deliberations.

The eight women and four men remained out of sight all day, leaving at 4 p.m. after meeting for more than eight hours over two days. Deliberations are scheduled to resume this morning.

The 38-year-old first-term mayor is accused by the government of committing 19 federal crimes between 1994 and 1999, including laundering $65,000 in drug proceeds, accepting two vehicles and free home improvements from city contractors, and taking $30,000 to $50,000 in cash and gifts from the Mafia.

Milan, who has pleaded innocent to all charges, left court Thursday without comment.

Jurors focused on Milan's alleged ties to the Mafia. They asked U.S. District Court Judge Joel Pisano for transcripts of testimony by three witnesses with knowledge of alleged mob payoffs to Milan.

Jurors first asked for transcripts of testimony from two Pennsauken travel agents who booked a West Palm Beach, Fla., golf trip that Milan took in January 1998 with four others, including mob associate Daniel Daidone. The government has accused Milan of violating the federal Travel Act, in part, because Daidone allegedly paid Pennsauken-based Delia Travel $1,433 in cash to cover the cost of the Florida trip for Milan and his girlfriend.

Later, jurors asked to review transcripts of 2“ days of testimony by former Philadelphia/South Jersey mob boss Ralph Natale. A government informant, Natale testified that between March 1996 and June 1998 he gave Milan between $30, 000 to $50,000 in cash and gifts - through Daidone.

Natale, who has said he met the mayor only once, told jurors he intended to use Milan to "take half of Camden" by capturing $20 million of the $40 million the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development planned to pour into the city's empowerment zone. Natale said his goal was to establish legitimate front companies for the Mafia in Camden with Milan's assistance at City Hall.