First day of deliberations ends in ticket-fixing case

Federal jurors deciding the case of five former Philadelphia Traffic Court judges accused in a years-long ticket fixing conspiracy ended their first full day of deliberations Tuesday without reaching a verdict.

They are set to resume their discussions Wednesday.

Prosecutors allege that the judges deprived the city and state of hundreds of thousands of dollars in unrealized fines by dismissing dozens of traffic tickets for friends, family and political allies, often without ever hearing their cases in court.

The former jurists deny the charges.

Each ex-judge faces multiple counts of conspiracy and mail and wire fraud.

-Jeremy Roebuck