Jury to return for deliberations in Melvin trial

Jury to return for deliberations in Melvin trial

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A jury is set to resume its deliberations in the campaign corruption trial of suspended state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin and her sister, Janine Orie.

The sisters are charged with misusing Melvin’s former Superior Court staff to help her campaign for the state’s highest court in 2003 and 2009. Janine Orie was an aide to the judge then and Allegheny County prosecutors say she helped organize that illegal campaign work — as well as other allegedly illegal work done by the state-funded staff of a third sister, then-state Sen. Jane Orie.

The sisters have denied wrongdoing.

The jury deliberated a little more than two hours Friday after hearing closing arguments and was to resume today after the three-day holiday weekend.