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CAROLYN KASTER / Associated Press

Former House Democratic Whip Mike Veon (left) leaves the Dauphin County Courthouse with his defense attorneys, Dan Raynak (right) and Joel Sansone. Veon is one of four defendants in the Bonusgate trial.

Posted on Sat, Mar. 20, 2010

Bonusgate juror excused because of illness

By Mario F. Cattabiani

Inquirer Staff Writer

HARRISBURG - A juror in the Bonusgate corruption trial of former State Rep. Mike Veon and three codefendants was excused because of illness yesterday and replaced by an alternate, further complicating an already strained and long deliberation process.

After six days of deliberations, Dauphin County Court Judge Richard A. Lewis told the jury that it must "start anew."

"You must set aside and disregard any earlier deliberations just as if they never occurred," Lewis said.

The departing juror - No. 10, an insurance claims representative - had tearfully addressed Lewis earlier in the week. At the time, she described the deliberations as "hard for everybody" and said members were "turning on each other."

But in the presence of the other jurors yesterday, Lewis stressed that the departure was related to a personal illness and had nothing to do with the woman's views on the case.

Her replacement is a supervisor at a Central Pennsylvania manufacturing plant. He is one of three alternates excused March 12, just before deliberations began. He had been told by Lewis that he could be pressed into duty if needed and was grocery shopping when he received a call from county officials yesterday morning.

With the change, the composition of the jury is seven women and five men.

Veon, the onetime Democratic whip who was defeated in 2006 after 22 years in the House representing Beaver County, is accused of orchestrating a scheme to award $1.4 million in state bonuses to legislative aides for campaign work. His former top aides, Steve Keefer, Annamarie Perretta-Rosepink, and Brett Cott, are charged with helping him carry out the cash-for-campaigning program.

In all, more than 50 witnesses testified and 1,600 exhibits were entered into evidence during the six-week trial - the longest in recent Dauphin County history.

The jury move came after a closed-door meeting with lawyers in Lewis' chambers yesterday morning.

Outside the courtroom, Bill Fetterhoff, Keefer's lawyer, downplayed the significance of the jury's having to start from scratch.

"This jury is entitled to time, and they have been very responsible throughout," he told reporters.

On Wednesday, the jury had told Lewis that it was nearing a decision on one of the defendants, whom it did not identify.

After seating the new juror, Lewis again expressed empathy for the long hours.

"We are very aware of the sacrifices you are making," he told the group. "We can only imagine how this is interrupting your lives."

And then he asked each juror whether he or she was willing to continue working toward verdicts on a total of 139 counts against the four defendants. Each responded yes before returning to a fourth-floor conference room to continue deliberations.

The jurors wrapped up their day shortly before 5 p.m. and are expected to resume deliberating Monday morning.

Contact staff writer Mario F. Cattabiani at 717-787-5990 or mcattabiani@phillynews.com.