Edwards Not Guilty on 1 Count

Judge declares mistrial on other 5 counts
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 31, 2012 2:08 PM CDT
Updated May 31, 2012 3:42 PM CDT
John Edwards' Defense Calls for Mistrial
John Edwards arrives at a federal courthouse during the eighth day of jury deliberations in his trial on charges of campaign corruption in Greensboro, N.C., Wednesday, May 30, 2012.   (Chuck Burton)

John Edwards was found not guilty on one of six campaign fraud charges today, and the jury could not reach a verdict on the other counts, leading the judge to declare a mistrial on them. Edwards was accused of masterminding a plan to use money from two wealthy donors to hide his pregnant mistress during his run for the White House in 2008. The acquittal and mistrial highlighted a day of confusion when the judge mistakenly believed jurors had reached a verdict on all six counts.

It was not immediately clear whether prosecutors would retry Edwards on the other counts. Edwards did not react when the verdict and mistrial were announced, but he was happy and smiling about an hour earlier when the jury said it had reached a verdict on one count after nine days of deliberations. (More John Edwards stories.)

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