CAMDEN LEADERS APPEAR BEFORE GRAND JURY, DAY AFTER GUILTY VERDICT IN DRUG CASE

CAMDEN, N.J. - Five Camden City Council members testified
Wednesday before a grand jury investigating Mayor Milton Milan and
municipal corruption.

The appearances came a day after a guilty verdict in the biggest drug
prosecution case in Camden's history where testimony emerged about
Milan and allegations of corrupt police officers.

Milan has not been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing.
He has been the target of the federal probe that has been ongoing for
at least two years. His attorney, Carlos Martir, has said an
indictment is expected.

During the trial, which ended Tuesday with convictions against two
reputed drug lords, at least five admitted drug dealers testified that
Milan bought and sold cocaine before becoming mayor in 1997.

One dealer alleged that Milan -- after his election -- tipped him off
about a federal investigation into the multimillion drug ring that
flourished in Camden for nearly a decade.

Five city lawmakers, including Council President Gwendolyn Faison,
were subpoenaed to testify Wednesday before the grand jury and a sixth
is scheduled to appear next week. A former councilman was also
summoned to appear Wednesday.

"We don't have a quorum," quipped Councilman Gilbert "Whip" Wilson, as
he headed to a second-floor room in the federal courthouse where the
grand jury meets weekly.

When asked by reporters after testifying what was the focus of the
questions, former Councilman Bill Spearman bluntly replied: "Milton."

"Mayor Milan is the center of this investigation," said Councilman
Israel Nieves, one of the mayor's staunch supporters. "They want to
know (about) contracts that the mayor was involved in."

Faison said she spent only about five minutes before the grand jury,
mostly answering what she described as "easy questions" about her role
in city government.

"I don't have a problem with any questions," said Faison. "God knows
I'm trying to run government. I'm going to do what is right and what
is legal."

The council members said they were questioned on a wide range of
issues, including city contracts and resolutions approved by the
panel, and organized crime. Other witnesses have said the grand jury
also is investigating political contributions.

"A lot of names came up," said Wilson, refusing to
elaborate.

In August, federal authorities raided Milan's home and office seeking
any evidence linking reputed mobster Ralph Natale to alleged
corruption in the city. They also were searching for evidence that
Milan was involved in extortion, conspiracy and racketeering.

"We will see a possible indictment of the mayor and some other folks,"
said Council Ali Sloan-El, one of Milan's chief critics. Sloan-El was
subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury next week.

Milan, 37, a first-term Democrat, has come under intense scrutiny by
federal authorities. The grand jury has questioned city employees and
contractors and subpoenaed records.

During the drug conspiracy trial, some witnesses linked Milan to Jose
"J.R." Rivera, a Camden businessman, found guilty Tuesday for his role
in the cocaine distribution ring.

Rivera once bragged that he bankrolled Milan's mayoral campaign, one
witness testified. Milan has acknowledged Rivera only as a boyhood
acquaintance.

In another costly loss for Rivera, a jury Wednesday ruled the
government can seize his gym and auto parts business as well as about
$230,000 in cash found in his office safe when he was arrested in
February 1998.

The jury, however, refused to force Rivera to forfeit $410,000 in his
brokerage and bank accounts that prosecutors also wanted to seize. The
jury was asked to find that the money resulted from drug proceeds.

"At least the jury found that most of his assets were from legitimate
business means," said Rivera's lawyer, Marc Neff. "In some sense, it
vindicates him."

The same jury found Rivera and his codefendant Luis "Tun Tun" Rivera
guilty on drug conspiracy charges that could keep them behind bars for
life. Rivera was also convicted on two money laundering counts.

"I think we as a jury looked at all the evidence as a whole and
discussed it for a very long time," said jury foreman Jeff Zeiger, of
Burlington County. "The government did their job of proving beyond a
reasonable doubt that they were guilty."