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Jury trial of Reksid begins
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Posted on Sep 19 2011
The jury trial of Franz B. Reksid, the former Department of Public Lands special assistant to the secretary, began yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the NMI.
When Saipan Tribune left the courtroom at 1:30pm, visiting judge Michael A. Ponsor was still selecting jurors. Saipan Tribune later learned that Ponsor was able to complete the jury selection.
The 70-year-old Reksid is on trial for one count of bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds.
Last week, Ponsor granted defense attorney Mark Hanson’s motion to dismiss counts 2 to 6 of wire fraud charges. Ponsor, however, ruled that the jury trial will proceed as to count 1 (bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds), and counts 7 and 8 (wire fraud).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O’Malley then asked the court last week to dismiss without prejudice counts 7 and 8. This motion was granted.
The indictment alleged that from January 2009 to August 2009, Reksid borrowed over $300,000 from friends, associates, and relatives and wired part of the money to Ivory Coast and Nigeria. He also allegedly solicited $3,000 from the owner of a business that was seeking to obtain a contract with DPL.
