St. John Jury Reaches Verdicts on 3 Counts

Jurors deliberating in the trial of Juanita St. John, accused of embezzling money from a Los Angeles city-funded Africa trade task force, notified the judge Tuesday that they had reached verdicts on three counts but are unable to agree on two others.

No details were announced. Superior Court Judge Michael Harwin scheduled a session today to determine how to proceed, said Sandi Gibbons, a district attorney's office spokeswoman. Harwin could accept the verdicts or send jurors back for further deliberations.

St. John, a friend and former business partner of Mayor Tom Bradley, is charged with felony embezzlement of nearly $180,000 from the Task Force for Africa/Los Angeles Relations, a nonprofit group backed by the mayor. She also is charged with stealing $5,000 from an anti-genocide group, and with three counts of filing false state tax returns.