Jun 27, 2008 7:46 pm US/Pacific
Trial Date Set For Former SF Supervisor Ed Jew
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ―
Former San Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew was given a new date of Nov. 10 in federal court Friday for a trial on corruption charges after lawyers in the case told a judge that efforts to reach a plea agreement had failed.
Prosecutor Michael Wang told U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, "The parties' efforts to resolve the case were not fruitful."
Jew, 48, faces two counts of bribery, two counts of mail fraud and one count of extortion for allegedly trying to extort $84,000 last year from the owners of tapioca drink stores and a dessert cafe in exchange for help in obtaining city permits.
He resigned his post as a supervisor representing the city's Sunset District in January amid allegations he lived in Burlingame rather than San Francisco while running for office in 2006.
Jew is the owner of a Chinatown flower shop.
Outside of court, he said he is currently "taking care of my family and flower shop."
Defense attorney Sara Rief said after the hearing, "We believe he is innocent and they don't, so the case is going to trial."
The jury trial in Illston's San Francisco courtroom is expected to last about three weeks.
The trial was previously scheduled for July, but was postponed while settlement talks were underway.
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