Jury deliberations in the James Botti federal corruption trial were cut short Tuesday by a late afternoon bomb threat to an unspecified New Haven court.
But a note from the jury earlier that day made a verdict Tuesday appear unlikely anyway.
It was the fourth day of deliberations in the trial, which began March 8.
Botti is accused of giving gifts, cash and favors to Mayor Mark A. Lauretti in exchange for influence to get his development projects approved.
Lauretti has not been charged with any crime and has denied any wrongdoing.
Read all the stories on the trial here.
The Note
The note — sent out of the jury room just after 1 p.m. — asked Senior District Judge Charles Haight Jr. if one of the jurors could attend his eye doctor appointment Thursday morning for cataract surgery.
Haight, who read the note into the record at about 4 p.m., denied the request, saying the surgery is elective and can be rescheduled.
Without any more details coming from the jury room, the note indicates the jurors may anticipate still deliberating on Thursday.
They began discussing the case on Thursday last week, and spent much of the day Friday and Monday re-hearing testimony from Planning and Zoning Commissioners.
The Bomb Threat
Just before 4 p.m., New Haven Police received a bomb threat for an unspecified court in New Haven.
The three courts — federal and two state — were evacuated as a precaution.
“We’re being prudent,” Judge Haight told the jury, before dismissing them for the day.
If It Takes That Long
Judge Haight also told the jury that they can expect to have the day off Friday, to observe the religious day Good Friday.
But, Haight said, knowing they have the day off Friday should not make them feel in a rush to reach a verdict before that day.
“You are to continue to deliberate as you see fit,” Haight said. “But, you can’t seem fit to come in and deliberate on Friday because the court house will be locked.”
