Trial of ex-New York governors' aide accused of selling influence to China ends with hung jury

A judge declared a mistrial Monday in the corruption case of Linda Sun, a former aide to New York governors, after jurors said they couldn't reach a verdict on charges she sold her influence to China and profited from a medical equipment scheme during the pandemic.

A judge declared a mistrial Monday in the corruption case of a former aide to New York governors after jurors said they were hopelessly deadlocked and couldn't reach a verdict on charges she sold her influence to China and profited from a medical equipment scheme during the pandemic.

The federal jury in Brooklyn was unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the case against Linda Sun and her husband, Chris Hu. The foreperson said the panel was deadlocked on all 19 counts.

"Your honor, after extensive deliberations and re-deliberations the jury remains unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The jurors positions are firmly held," the jury said in a note to U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan shortly after resuming deliberations Monday with an alternate juror taking the place of a juror who had to leave because of prior travel commitments.

Prosecutor Alexander Solomon told the judge that the government wants to retry the case "as soon as possible."

Sun was accused of using her state government position to subtly advance Beijing's agenda in exchange for financial benefits worth millions of dollars. They say Sun also took kickbacks from Chinese companies to steer lucrative state contracts for face masks and other critical medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic.