By DEBRA HALE-SHELTON/ ARKANSAS NONPROFIT NEWS NETWORK
Federal prosecutors plan to retry former lobbyist and political fundraiser Gilbert Baker on bribery and other charges after a mistrial earlier this month.
On Aug. 12, a jury on its fifth day of deliberations acquitted Baker, a former state senator from Conway and former chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, of one count of conspiracy. The jury deadlocked on eight other charges, including one count of bribery and seven of wire fraud.
In its notice to the court Thursday, the U.S. attorney’s office stated only that it intended to retry Baker and did not elaborate on what may have led prosecutors to that decision. The office had earlier sought and been granted permission to interview jurors who heard from the first trial who were willing to discuss the matter. Such interviews could have given prosecutors information on how jurors were divided on the case and why.
https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/former-arkansas-lawmaker-face-retrial-federal-bribery-charges
Gilbert Baker (right) and his attorney, Blake Hendrix, exit the U.S. courthouse in Little Rock during Baker’s first trial.
CREDIT BRIAN CHILSON