Jury Deadlocked Over Fate of Ex-O.C. Official
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SANTA ANA — Jurors weighing the fate of former Orange County Budget Director Ronald S. Rubino told a trial judge Wednesday that they were deadlocked amid signs that they have been plagued by personal infighting.
At the end of the fifth day of deliberations, Judge J. Stephen Czuleger told jurors to return today to make a final attempt at reaching a unanimous verdict.
If Czuleger is forced to declare a mistrial, prosecutors would have to decide whether to retry Rubino on two counts of helping former Treasurer Robert L. Citron skim $93 million in interest earnings belonging to cities, school districts and government agencies.
Prosecutors have contended that Citron and Rubino agreed to distribute 7.85% in interest earnings to investors instead of the 11.5% they were due because county officials were worried that the other governmental entities might start asking questions about the larger amount.
Rubino’s attorney, Rodney Perlman, has argued that his client was simply following county policies and his bosses’ orders.
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