Philadelphia councilman, wife acquitted of fraud charges

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Philadelphia City Council member and his wife have been acquitted of corruption charges in federal court. Jurors deliberated for five days before finding Councilman Kenyatta Johnson and his wife, Dawn Chavous, not guilty Wednesday in their second trial on honest services wire fraud charges. The first trial ended in a jury deadlock earlier this year. Johnson is a Democrat who has served on the council since 2012. He was accused of engaging in official actions in exchange for payments. Chavous was accused of having entered into a “sham” consulting agreement with a nonprofit that was used to funnel payments to her husband.