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Jury Deliberations Underway In Federal Ticket-Fixing Case

By Tony Hanson

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After nearly two months of trial, jury deliberations are now underway in a federal ticket-fixing case.

Prosecutors allege six former Philadelphia traffic court judges on trial fixed tickets, or as it was known gave "consideration", to the well connected, including family and friends.

But the judges have pleaded not guilty. The defense, which has blamed the system and acknowledged some mistakes may have been made, adamantly maintains there was no conspiracy to cheat the city and this isn't a federal case.

According to the defense, some tickets in question were dismissed or reduced for cause because they were faulty, that what the government describes as "consideration" was actually discretion. The jury deliberated briefly this afternoon after hearing the end of closing arguments by attorneys and legal instructions from the judge.

Jury deliberations resume in the morning.

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