In a sign they "may be close to reaching a verdict," jurors
in Don King's wire fraud trial asked Judge Lawrence McKenna
during yesterday's third day of deliberations "how they should
handle the third element of his alleged crime" (Al Guart, N.Y.
POST, 11/16). Columnist Wallace Matthews notes, "for the jury to
even get to that point, it must have answered 'yes'" to questions
of whether there was a scheme to defraud and if King did
knowingly take part or cause others working for him to do so.
Matthews writes the jury "gave every indication that it is about
to convict King on some, if not all" of the nine counts (N.Y.
POST, 11/16). However, ESPN analyst Ken Caruso said "there's no
reason for any side to push the panic button" ("SportsCenter,"
11/15).
DEFENSE BLUNDER? Caruso believes King would have been
acquitted had he not testified ("SportsCenter," 11/15).
TAX PROBLEMS? Meanwhile, NEWSDAY's Greg Logan reports that
King, convicted or not, "may face tax problems" as a result of
testimony. Logan notes King's payments to translator Gladys Rosa
indicated he improperly received credit on a 1099 form in '94,
and that he could come under further IRS scrutiny if it is
determined he profited from the Chavez insurance settlement
(NEWSDAY, 11/16).
