The corruption trial of former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and his wife Maureen enters its third week on Monday after testimony that centered on the former first lady's behavior, according to The Associated Press.
McDonnell, a Republican, and his wife face 14 counts of corruption and bribery for allegedly accepting $165,000 in gifts and loans from businessman Jonnie Williams Sr. in exchange for supporting his former company Star Scientific, a dietary supplements maker, the AP reported.
Testimony during the trial's second week centered on Maureen McDonnell's behavior, with former staffers portraying a volatile first lady who yelled at aides, according to the AP.
Matt Conrad, McDonnell's deputy chief of staff, said under questioning by prosecutors on Friday that aides were worried that if some of the gifts hidden by Maureen McDonnell were also intended for the governor they needed to be recorded on financial disclosure forms, the AP reported.
McDonnell ended a meeting in his office by touting the effectiveness of an anti-inflammatory pill marketed by the wealthy businessman who showered him and his wife with thousands of dollars in gifts and loans, Sara Wilson, director of the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management, said, according to the AP.
Wilson testified about the meeting as the public corruption trial of McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, entered its third week, the AP reported.
Paul Perito, the former chairman and chief operating officer of Star Scientific, now known as Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, testified that he had no idea of Williams' largesse toward the McDonnells, according to the AP.
To win a conviction, prosecutors must convince the jury that the governor took official acts to help Williams, the AP reported. Attorneys for the couple have argued that accepting the gifts and money was unseemly but not illegal.
The trial is expected to last five weeks. If convicted, the McDonnells could face more than 20 years in prison and a large fine, according to the AP. McDonnell's four-year term as governor ended in January.
