Judge: Pedro Espada jury split

The jury in the Pedro Espada corruption trial in Brooklyn federal court is split, with one juror refusing to deliberate and telling the others that his or her "mind was made up" from the start, according to a note sent to the judge Wednesday.

The jury fissure, revealed one day after U.S. District Judge Frederic Block reported "turbulence" in the jury room, threatens to unravel a years-long government investigation and a six-week trial on charges that the Bronx politician looted his nonprofit Soundview health clinic.

"After five or ten mins from day 1 of deliberations one of the jurors refused to be open to deliberations and answered that the Juror's mind was made up," said the note, signed by six jurors and given to the judge just before 5 p.m. Jurors began deliberating on Monday.

Block said a juror can be removed for refusing to deliberate, and the jury can proceed with 11. He told the lawyers that he will determine the identity of the juror Thursday, and question the juror in chambers to determine if there is a refusal to deliberate or just a difference of opinion.

Espada, 58, a former state Senate majority leader, and his son are charged with stealing more than $600,000 from Soundview through lavish personal spending on a corporate credit card and other schemes.

Lawyers refused comment on the jury note. Espada, signaling that he suspects the juror in question may be on his side, told reporters that he wanted to show respect for "all 12 jurors" by not commenting on the dispute.

Earlier, in a sidewalk news conference, Espada blasted Gov. Andrew Cuomo for cutting off state funds to Soundview, which Espada still controls, forcing the clinic to cut back services and, according to news reports, to close its doors earlier this week.

He said the governor, a longtime adversary, had defied court orders and "continues to try to issue a death penalty to 20,000 people who depend on this clinic. . . . People may die as a result of their actions."

The state said it was complying with court orders in litigation over Soundview's funding. Cuomo's office refused to fire back at Espada, saying in a statement, "Out of respect for the jury process, we will have no comment while this federal criminal matter is pending."