Ex-Indiana mayor getting new trial in 1 of 2 federal counts

HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) - A federal judge has denied a motion for acquittal by a former northwestern Indiana mayor who was convicted by a jury in February of bribery and tax obstruction but he granted a new trial on one of the counts.

The ruling is a partial victory for former Portage Mayor James Snyder, who argued that he should be acquitted because of prosecutorial conduct and insufficient evidence. Snyder didn't get the acquittals but the (Northwest Indiana ) Post-Tribune reports that U.S. District Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen granted him a new trial on the charge that he accepted a $13,000 bribe in exchange for contracts to sell garbage trucks to the city.

The judge let stand the conviction on the charge that he hid income and assets from the Internal Revenue Service.