Feb. 28, 2007 — Jurors found former Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen innocent of conflict of interest charges in District Court on Wednesday.
The jury deliberated less than one day on the charges that could have sent the one-time gubernatorial candidate to jail for up to five years.
Prosecutors had argued that in 2001 Hansen had steered a $25,000 contract with the 24th Legislature to Global Resources Management, a company Hansen's husband worked for.
Prosecutors contended that Hansen illegally benefited from the arrangement because she and her husband, Esdel Hansen, shared household incomes, and because GRM cut Hansen's campaign committee a check for $1,000 soon after as a "thank-you."
Jurors sided with Hansen's lawyer, however.
Attorney George Hodge argued that Esdel Hansen never received money from the $25,000 contract and that the $1,000 check was a legal campaign contribution — the maximum amount allowed by territorial law.
Jurors were not told of a previous trial in which most of GRM's staff was convicted of conspiracy and other charges stemming from illegal use of government connections to get contracts.
Founder Ashley Andrews and accountant Campbell Malone await sentencing for their role in illegally obtaining a $3.6 million no-bid sewer repair contract from the Charles Turnbull administration.
Also awaiting sentencing is former Turnbull aide Ohanio Harris, who admitted to using his government connections to secure the contract for GRM, a start-up company with few employees, next to no assets and little experience.
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