Ebbers Jury Makes More Requests

Jurors at the fraud trial of WorldCom Inc.’s former chief executive, Bernard J. Ebbers, sent for office supplies -- tape and paper -- but failed to reach a verdict Monday, their seventh day of deliberations.

The panel of seven women and five men in federal court in New York also asked to review the testimony of Jayne Hammond, a former Bank of America Corp. employee who worked with Ebbers as he amassed $400 million in personal loans.

Prosecutors say it was pressure from those loans -- backed by Ebbers’ sliding WorldCom stock -- that motivated him to order the $11-billion fraud that led the company to file for bankruptcy protection. WorldCom is now known as MCI Inc.

The jurors also asked to see two exhibits from the trial. They have requested dozens of documents during their deliberations.

Ebbers, 63, faces as many as 85 years in prison on charges of fraud, conspiracy and submitting false filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Deliberations are set to resume this morning.