By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – Monday is the third day of deliberations for jurors in the government corruption trial of former Governor Don Siegelman and three others.
But jurors asked a question Friday that went to a core legal issue in the government's case.
Analysts say that could indicate the jury might not reach a quick verdict in the 34-count case.
They asked if a campaign contribution constituted a thing of value for Siegelman.
Federal Judge Mark Fuller told jurors a campaign contribution might be a thing of value, but he left the final decision to them.
The question concerns Count Three, which charges that when Siegelman was Governor, he bribed former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy by promising him a seat on an influential hospital regulatory board in exchange for Scrushy arranging $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a statewide lottery.
Siegelman did not receive the money. It instead went to foundations that were created to finance and pay off debts of the lottery campaign, which lost in a statewide vote in 1999.