Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James is due in federal court

AP reports:

Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James is scheduled to appear in federal court today for the first of two federal corruption trials.

Jury selection will begin as the first 150 prospective jurors from across northern New Jersey fill out questionnaires based on questions submitted by prosecutors and James' team of attorneys. They are expected to be asked about issues ranging from newspaper reading habits and occupations to their views on race and extramarital affairs.

After being indicted in July, both James and his co-defendant, Tamika Riley, pleaded not guilty to all charges and are free on bail.

Attorneys are expected to begin face-to-face questioning of prospective jurors as soon as Wednesday to select 12 jurors and seven alternates.

Alan Zegas, an attorney for James, said jury selection could take a week or two.

Prosecutors have said they expect the first trial to last as long as three months, with 40 to 50 witnesses expected.

The first trial focuses on whether James, 72, arranged for the sale of nine city-owned properties at discounted rates to Riley, a woman nearly half his age with whom he traveled. Prosecutors said they will present evidence to show the two had an intimate personal relationship.

Prosecutors said James improperly steered properties to Riley, 38, and that she, with James' help, quickly resold them at much higher prices. Riley was able to buy the properties although she lacked real estate, construction and financial experience to rehabilitate them, according to the indictment.

Riley will stand trial with him for land fraud charges only; she also faces charges of housing fraud and tax fraud and evasion.

In the second trial, James will face charges that he used city-issued credit cards for $58,000 in personal expenses while he was mayor, including trips with several women other than his wife to Martha's Vineyard, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Rio de Janeiro.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, James could face seven to eight years in prison if he is convicted on all counts. But a judge could impose a much stiffer penalty — as much as 20 years on some individual counts.

James served as mayor of New Jersey's largest city from 1986 to 2006 before deciding not to seek a sixth term. He also served as a state senator from 1999 to January 2008.

The AP can't get themselves to name the party Sharpe James belongs to.I'll bet you can guess.