Edwards trial jury to begin deliberations

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Attorneys hammered at the credibility of John Edwards and his once-trusted aide as arguments in his campaign corruption trial ended yesterday, leaving jurors to decide whether the presidential candidate's sex scandal cover-up amounted to a crime or a litany of lies.

Jurors begin deliberations today on six counts of campaign finance fraud that could send Edwards to prison for up to 30 years. They will weigh whether to believe Edwards' arguments that he didn't knowingly break the law when he sought to cover up an affair, or believe his aide, Andrew Young, who said Edwards recruited him to use secret donations from wealthy donor to hide the affair.

In closing arguments, prosecutor Bobby Higdon recounted Edwards' affair with Rielle Hunter, a videographer working on his 2008 campaign, and said the candidate would "deny, deceive and manipulate" at every turn to keep the revelation from destroying his political career.

Edwards knew of the money going to Young and Hunter from heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon and campaign finance chairman Fred Baron, Higdon said. He also was well aware of the $2,300 legal limit on campaign donations, Higdon said.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell said prosecutors didn't prove Edwards knew that taking the money violated the law and said the candidate shouldn't be convicted for being a liar.

"This is a case that should define the difference . . . between a sin and a felony," Lowell said. He also pointed to inconsistent testimony of Andrew Young and his wife, Cheri, about assurances they said Edwards gave them that accepting the money from Mellon was legal.

-- AP