Jury Deliberations Begin In Norman Seabrook Bribery Trial

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – Jury deliberations are underway in the bribery trial of the once-powerful boss of the New York City jail guards union.

The Manhattan federal court jury went to work Wednesday after receiving instructions from Judge Andrew Carter.

Jurors will decide the fate of 57-year-old Norman Seabrook and hedge fund financier Murray Huberfeld.

They will have consider whether they believe Seabrook took kickbacks in exchange for directing millions of union pension dollars to Huberfeld's shady hedge fund, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported.

For much of the trial, the case itself was overshadowed by the explosive testimony of Jona Rechnitz, a businessman turned government witness who implicated not only Seabrook but political figures up to and including the mayor.

Seabrook's attorney tried to convince the jury he was duped by Rechnitz, calling the witness's capacity for lying an act worth of an Oscar. His lawyer also said he wanted to be mayor himself, so Rechnitz was able to lure him on the promise of big fundraising.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)