Prosecutors stated on Wednesday that although the jury in former New Jersey senator Robert Menendez’s corruption trial reviewed improper evidence during deliberations, the error does not warrant overturning his conviction.
Menendez, 70, resigned from the U.S. Senate in August after a Manhattan federal jury found him guilty of selling his influence in exchange for bribes, including cash and gold bars. He has pleaded not guilty and plans to appeal.
In a court filing, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan revealed that nine pieces of evidence jurors reviewed included material that should have been redacted. Prosecutors noted that neither defense lawyers nor prosecutors caught the error and argued that it likely did not affect the verdict. “No action need be taken in light of the error,” prosecutors wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein, adding that “the evidence of guilt in this case was overwhelming.”
Menendez’s lawyers have not yet responded to requests for comment. The jury convicted him on all 16 counts, including illegally acting as an agent for the Egyptian government, obstruction of justice, wire fraud, and extortion. The trial lasted nine weeks, and jurors reached a verdict after three days of deliberations.
Menendez, who represented New Jersey and served as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, faces sentencing on January 25 and could receive a lengthy prison term.
In other developments, President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday his nomination of Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Additionally, New Jersey voters recently elected Democrat Andy Kim as the state’s junior senator.
