Jury deliberations got underway Friday in the trial of an 86-year-old real estate developer accused of enriching the one-time mayor of Palm Springs with six-figure bribes to cinch his support for projects.

Testimony in the trial of John Elroy Wessman concluded Wednesday at the Banning Justice Center, and the prosecution and defense presented final arguments to jurors Thursday afternoon. However, the defense did not complete its statement, pushing the hearing into Friday morning, when the prosecution also presented a rebuttal before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Samuel Diaz sent the jury behind closed doors to weigh evidence from the three-week trial.

Wessman is charged with nine counts of bribery of a public official and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.

“He acted with

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