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Mistrial declared in Johnny 'Doc' Dougherty extortion case

Published  April 26, 2024 6:54am EDT
Crime & Public Safety
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Mistrial declared in Johnny 'Doc' Dougherty extortion case

A mistrial was declared in the Johnny 'Doc' Dougherty extortion case after jurors said they were "hopelessly deadlocked" following 11 hours of deliberations.

PHILADELPHIA - A mistrial was declared in the Johnny 'Doc' Dougherty extortion case after jurors were "hopelessly deadlocked" following 11 hours of deliberations.

Dougherty, a once powerful Philadelphia union boss, and his nephew faced 19 counts of conspiracy and extortion. 

Jurors at a Berks County courthouse couldn't come to a decision on Thursday, leading to the mistrial.

Prosecutors have not decided if they will retry the case, which was Dougherty's third felony trial in as many years. 

Dougherty was found guilty of embezzlement charges in Philadelphia last December, after prosecutors alleged he used $650,000 in union funds for personal use.

He was also convicted in 2021 of bribery for keeping former city council member Bobby Henon on the union payroll to help keep a tight grip on construction jobs.