Deliberations continue in Rivera-Velez trial

A federal jury in Camden will return today for a fourth day of deliberations in the trial of Juan Rivera-Velez, accused of killing a rival drug dealer and attempting to kill a witness to cover up the slaying.

Yesterday, the jurors asked U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas whether they could convict on some charges and return a split verdict on others. That can happen, authorities said.

Rivera-Velez, 35, is accused of working as an enforcer for Ray Morales, who ran a multimillion-dollar drug ring from 1992 to 2004. Morales, arrested in 2003 while picking up a large shipment of cocaine in Philadelphia, became a government witness. Last month, Morales testified that he was with Rivera-Velez when Rivera-Velez shot a drug rival. Morales testified he later ordered Rivera-Velez to kill a drug associate to cover up the murder.

The defense produced a witness who identified two other men as suspects in the first shooting. - Barbara Boyer