DETROIT – Opening statements were delivered Tuesday in the federal bid-rigging trial of Detroit contractor Bobby Ferguson.
It took six days to seat a jury of five men and seven women. One woman is black, one man's race is unknown. The rest are white. The jury pool had been a point of contention with the defense. They had requested a new pool because they felt Ferguson deserved a jury that is racially diverse. One woman who was dismissed from the jury told Local 4 is was because of her tattoos and refusal to look at the prosecutor.
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Ferguson is charged with fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice. He's accused of obtaining millions of dollars in public works contracts through false statements and bid collusion.
He's also accused of making false statements in a proposal as part of the Garden View Estates project, a public housing development in Detroit.
Download:Bobby Ferguson Indictment
Download:Ferguson Search Warrant
Three other people charged with Ferguson have pleaded guilty and will testify against him.