Milan jury deliberations on hold for the weekend

By CLINT RILEYand KATHY HENNESSY
Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN

Jurors went home for the weekend Friday without reaching a verdict in the federal corruption trial of Camden Mayor Milton Milan.

The jury met for about seven hours on Friday, considering the 19 criminal charges. A fourth day of deliberations by the panel of eight women and four men will begin at 8:45 a.m. Monday.

On Friday morning, jurors once again asked to review transcripts of testimony by several central witnesses. They asked for copies of the testimony of Milan's former campaign treasurer, Douglas Bradley, and Milan's confidential secretary, Rosie Santiago. They also asked for transcripts of the testimony of the operators of Nick's Towing, a company that held the city towing contract.

Among other crimes, the 38-year-old Milan is accused of receiving two free vehicles - a Chevrolet Lumina van and a GMC Jimmy sport utility vehicle - from the towing contractor in 1996 and concealing the gifts. With Milan's approval, the company was awarded a two-year contract.

The first-term mayor is also accused of diverting $7,500 from a campaign fund for a vacation, laundering $65,000 in drug proceeds, and taking $30,000 to $50,000 in cash and gifts from the Mafia.

Bradley, Milan's former top aide, testified during the trial that the mayor directed him to divert $7,500 from a campaign fund to pay for a post-election trip to Puerto Rico for Milan and 14 friends and supporters in May 1997. As part of the fraud, the government says, the vacation was labeled a political victory celebration.

Both Bradley and Santiago testified about Milan's interaction with mob associate Daniel Daidone, who delivered payoffs to Milan on behalf of former Mafia boss Ralph Natale for two years, Natale testified.

Milan again left court Friday without comment. His attorney, Carlos Martir Jr., spoke briefly to reporters gathered outside the courthouse.

"They are evaluating things, that's for sure," Martir said, adding he did not want to guess what jurors might be doing.