Coles jury ready to continue today

A U.S. District Court jury deliberated for about four hours yesterday without reaching a verdict in the drug-trafficking trial of rap music impresario Alton "Ace Capone" Coles and five codefendants.

Coles, 34, is charged with using his Southwest Philadelphia rap music company, Takedown Records, as a front for a $25 million cocaine- and crack-distribution network.

In addition to drug dealing and heading a criminal enterprise, he is charged with conspiracy, money laundering, wire fraud and weapons offenses.

Coles, who testified for more than six hours in his own defense, has conceded the weapons offenses but denies the other allegations. He could be sentenced to life if convicted.

Targeted in 2004 by a task force led by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Coles was described by investigators as a street-smart entrepreneur who took on the trappings of a rap music promoter to disguise his drug dealing.

Evidence introduced during the six-week trial has included more than 300 wiretapped conversations; drugs, guns, and more than $800,000 in cash seized during the investigation; and testimony from more than 40 witnesses, including two admitted drug dealers who said they routinely bought cocaine from the Coles network.

The jury got the case about 1 p.m. yesterday, after Judge R. Barclay Surrick completed a lengthy charge in which he outlined and interpreted the law that applied in the multiple-count indictment.

The anonymously selected jury is schedule to resume its deliberations this morning.

The other defendants are Coles' record company partner, Timothy "Tim Gotti" Baukman, 32; James Morris, 33, a reputed cocaine supplier based in South Jersey; Aysa Richardson, 27, and Monique Pullins, 24, girlfriends of Coles; and Thais Thompson, 32, Morris' girlfriend.