Jury deliberations: The waiting game

Thursday, June 26, 1997 | 11:48 a.m.

Through Wednesday, the federal jury had talked five full days and part of a sixth about charges against former Sens. Larry Bankston and B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn and four co-defendants.

More deliberations were ordered for today,

By the standards of anyone associated with the trial, the jury discussions had gone far longer than expected.

"As time goes by, you become more nervous," said Rayburn's defense attorney, Arthur "Buddy" Lemann. "Maybe there are questions that went unanswered."

Prosecutors contended that Bankston and Rayburn took graft from Fred Goodson, who owned the now-defunct O'Aces video poker parlor in Slidell, to scuttle local-option votes on the machines in 1994 and 1995.

Also on trial in federal court with the ex-lawmakers and Goodson are Goodson's attorney, Carl Cleveland; Goodson's daughter, Maria Goodson; and Goodson's accountant, Joe Morgan.

Testimony in the case ended two weeks ago. Jury deliberations began late on June 19 after a week-long break.

Cleveland said he was learning a new virtue: patience.

"It really gets easier as time goes on," he said. "Patience is not a virtue I've had in the past. But I'm learning it now. This case is long and complicated. The fact that the jury is taking this much time shows they are doing their job. And I'm glad about that since I have a vested interest in it."

The Goodsons, Cleveland and Morgan also are accused of a wide swath of allegations, including disguising the ownership of the video poker operation in the names of Goodson's adult children and using accumulated management and legal fees to cut a huge tax liability in 1994.

The company, Truck Stop Gaming Ltd., made a $1.3 million profit in 1994, testimony showed.

On Wednesday, the only note sent to U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance by the jury was a complaint about the quality of lunch, a subject she discussed behind closed doors with attorneys.

"I told them to take them to New Orleans' finest (restaurants)," said Morgan's attorney, George Shattuck.

The complaint was the first communication with the court since Monday, when the jury asked a question about the federal conspiracy law.

Karl Koch, one of Bankston's attorneys, said there was nothing to do but wait.

"Anytime someone's future rests in your hands, it's agonizing," Koch said.