Jury in former Va. governor trial views gifts

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Jurors in the public corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, have gotten their first in-person look at the designer clothes and other gifts the couple received from a dietary supplements entrepreneur who testified he was seeking their support for his company’s products.

The gifts shown Thursday include several dresses and shoes former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams purchased for Maureen McDonnell during a shopping spree in 2012. Also on display were golf equipment, a painting of sailboats and a carton of Anatabloc — the tobacco-derived anti-inflammatory that Williams wanted studied by state university researchers.

The McDonnells are charged in a 14-count indictment with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from Williams in exchange for promoting dietary supplements made by his company.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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