The indictment said Murphy agreed to help the sheikh with immigration and to use his committee chairmanship for shipping interests the sheikh would invest in. Criden carried $50,000 at a meeting near JFK on 20 October 1979. [1]
The jury convicted him of conspiracy, conflict of interest and receiving an unlawful gratuity, and acquitted him of bribery. A gratuity is a payment for or because of official action; bribery requires a corrupt deal to be influenced. The distinction mattered to twelve jurors, and it should matter in the retelling. [1]
On appeal the Second Circuit reversed the conflict-of-interest count because of a faulty instruction and affirmed the conspiracy and gratuity counts. A later appeal over a new-trial motion also failed. He was sentenced to three years and a $20,000 fine. [2][3]
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