A federal judge on Friday ordered the deadlocked jury in Washington, D.C., in councilman Trayon White’s bribery trial to continue deliberations despite the defense requesting a mistrial.
White, who represents Ward 8, is facing charges that he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for a promise to use his influence to steer contracts, which he has denied. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras received a note Friday from jurors after 15 hours of deliberation that they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
With the jury reaching its third day of deliberations, the defense requested Contreras declare a mistrial, saying, “Enough is enough.” Contreras declined the request and ordered the jurors to continue deliberating, noting that the jury had only heard the case Wednesday and it’s a “difficult statute.”
The jury had previously sent three other notes to the judge, with questions mainly focusing on whether they needed to determine if White intended to commit a criminal act. The jury is composed of nine men and five women.
Jurors are deliberating White’s federal bribery charges related to his August 2024 arrest by the FBI in Navy Yard. He is accused of accepting a $35,000 bribe from businessman Allieu Kamara, who was cooperating with the FBI, in exchange for using his position of power to push for city officials to resign several contracts for violence intervention services valued at $5.2 million.
White has not disputed receiving the cash. His attorneys have instead argued the prosecution failed to prove the money constituted a bribe, saying White never intended to use his office to deliver contracts sought by Kamara.
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White was expelled from the D.C. Council in February 2025, but then launched a reelection bid to take back his seat after his ouster. In July 2025, White won his special election, successfully reclaiming his seat.
If the jury ultimately concludes it cannot unanimously agree on a verdict, Contreras could declare a mistrial, allowing prosecutors to decide whether to try White again. White faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
