Posted at 1:36 p.m., Monday, November 18, 2002
Federal jury begins Rodrigues deliberations
By David Waite
Advertiser Courts Writer
The panel in federal Judge David Ezra's courtroom heard closing arguments Friday and the final rebuttal argument from federal prosecutors this morning before they began reviewing the 102-count indictment.
Rodrigues and his daughter were charged with offenses that include mail fraud, money laundering and defrauding a union health-care plan. Rodrigues alone was charged with embezzling union assets and accepting kickbacks in connection with a union benefit plan.
Federal prosecutors characterize the case being about "greed and power" by Rodrigues to funnel union funds into his own pocket and his daughter's companies, but defense lawyers told the jury that the government's evidence does not support a conviction.
The jury heard nearly three weeks of testimony from prosecution witnesses. The defense did not put on any witnesses.