Corrupt Former NY Sen. Pedro Espada Waves Rosary To Ward Off Evil Jurors

Former NY Sen. Pedro Espada, currently on trial for embezzling truckloads of money from a Bronx health clinic, appeared outside the courthouse yesterday to brandish a rosary in order to ward off the "evil spirits" that have overtaken the jurors in his case.

As jurors in the federal embezzlement trial of former State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. indicated Thursday that they might be close to a verdict after nine days of deliberations, Mr. Espada said he believed that an unusual force was at work: “evil spiritual powers.” Addressing a scrum of reporters outside Federal District Court in Brooklyn, Mr. Espada held up rosary beads and said, “We Catholics fight that off with this.” All of a sudden, evil spirits were lurking. Mr. Espada said a federal agent in the case was using her jewelry, attire and seating position to influence its outcome. If convicted on all counts, Mr. Espada and his son would face up to 10 years in prison for embezzlement and 5 years for conspiracy.

RELATED: In a failed bid to be named Majority Leader of an evenly split state Senate, in 2009 Espada attempted to stage a coup and temporarily joined the GOP, effectively preventing a vote on marriage equality at that time.