Spilotro Mistrial Ruled After Talk of Bribe Offer

LAS VEGAS â€”  A federal judge declared a mistrial Tuesday in the racketeering trial of reputed mobster Anthony Spilotro and eight other defendants after reports surfaced that a bribe may have been offered to a juror.

The mistrial, which was requested by defense attorneys, came despite notes from the jury indicating that jurors had reached verdicts on at least some of the 37 charges against the defendants in the 12-week trial.

“With great reluctance, the court has granted a mistrial,� said U.S. District Judge Lloyd George. The jury deliberated 11 days before announcing Monday that they had reached an impasse on some counts.

George set a new trial date of June 16.

Although George gave no reason for the mistrial, an attorney for one of the nine defendants said it came after a juror sent a note to George saying she had overheard a conversation between two other jurors over money.

Attorney Bob Wolf said that since the juror waited three days to report the incident to the judge, the mistrial was granted because of fears that the verdicts reached after the conversation would be tainted.

“There is some inference that a juror was offered $10,000,� Wolf said. “It wasn’t specifically mentioned in court, but the inference of bribery was there.�

Wolf said the conversation, which occurred in the stairway of a hotel where jurors were sequestered last week, wasn’t immediately reported by the juror who overheard it. FBI agents reportedly were ordered to interview jurors to see if there was any bribe attempt.

Prosecutor Larry Leavitt refused to discuss reasons for the mistrial.

Spilotro, 47, would have faced up to 85 years in prison if convicted. He is alleged to be the Las Vegas overseer for Chicago crime figures. He and eight others were charged with conspiracy and racketeering in the “Hole-in-the-Wall Gang,� a burglary ring that struck Las Vegas homes and businesses in 1980 and 1981 by knocking holes in walls.