Jury begins deliberations in City Hall extortion trial

BOSTON (AP) — A federal jury has begun deliberations in the trial of two aides to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh charged with bullying music festival organizers into hiring union workers in exchange for city permits.

The 12-member jury began private deliberations Tuesday afternoon in Boston federal court after hearing closing arguments from prosecutors and defense attorneys.

City tourism chief Kenneth Brissette and head of intergovernmental affairs Timothy Sullivan face federal extortion charges.

Prosecutors say the men told organizers of the 2014 Boston Calling music festival that if they didn't hire union workers, labor groups would picket the City Hall Plaza concert. Both men have denied the charges.

During the two-week trial, Walsh, a Democrat and former labor union leader, wasn't called to testify, but concert promoters and former Police Commissioner William Evans did.