JURY FOREMAN'S BRIBERY TRIAL OPENS

MIAMI (AP) A jury foreman who allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands of
dollars in bribes to vote for acquittal in a cocaine case was a "traitor"
who defied a judge's order, a prosecutor told jurors today.

Federal prosecutors say Miguel Moya bought a home in the Florida Keys,
season tickets to the Florida Marlins, vacations and more after voting to
acquit two men described as the nation's top cocaine smugglers during the
1980s.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Nucci told jurors during opening statements
today that Moya went against a judge's order not to have any contact with
the defendants in that trial.

"There was a traitor in that jury who was bought and paid for," Nucci said.

But defense attorney Curt Obront said Moya got money to fund his lavish
lifestyle from a relative who was a convicted drug trafficker.

"The Moya family has a past that they are not proud of," he said.

The 1996 acquittals of Augusto "Willie" Falcon and Salvador "Sal" Magluta,
who had been accused of making $2 billion in profits on 75 tons of cocaine
smuggled into the United States, humiliated prosecutors and ultimately led
to the resignation of U.S. Attorney Kendall Coffey.

A representative of Falcon and Magluta contacted Moya and gave him about
$500,000 for his vote and his influence on other jurors, according to a
November indictment.

Jurors deliberated for three days before telling the judge they could not
reach a verdict. Hours later, they returned the acquittals.

Apparently upset at the verdict, Coffey went to a club afterward. He
resigned after a newspaper reported he was under investigation by the
Justice Department for allegedly biting a topless dancer on the arm.

Moya, an aircraft hydraulic engineer who coached youth football, faces
bribery, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, money laundering and
false tax return charges. If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced
to 130 years in prison.

Also indicted were his parents, Jose and Rafaela Moya. Convictions on money
laundering, witness tampering and accessory charges could send them to
prison for up to 62 1/2 years.

Falcon and Magluta are in prison on lesser charges filed after their cocaine
trial. Moya's trial is expected to last at least two weeks.