A jury did not reach a verdict in its first day of deliberations in the trial of a Turkish banker accused of helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions and launder billions of dollars in oil revenue.
Deliberations began early Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Manhattan after Judge Richard Berman read instructions on the law to jurors. The jury went home four hours later after requesting some pens and coffee.
The trial of Halkbank executive Mehmet Hakan Atilla has featured testimony about bribery and corruption at high levels in Turkey.
Turkish officials have lobbed counteraccusations that U.S. prosecutors are basing the case on evidence fabricated by enemies of the state.
Atilla’s fate rests with federal court jurors who seemed to listen attentively after a juror was dismissed for sleeping.
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