The racketeering trial of once-prominent New Jersey defense attorney Paul Bergrin is under way.

Paul Bergrin (Facebook)
Paul Bergrin (Facebook)
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Jurors are hearing opening arguments Tuesday in the trial of Paul Bergrin, whose clients once numbered rap stars and other entertainers.

He faces a 26-count indictment that charges him with running his law firm as a racketeering enterprise.

Paul Bergrin allegedly engaged in drug trafficking, prostitution, bribery, witness tampering and plotting to murder witnesses.

Paul Bergrin has already been through one trial that ended in a hung jury on two murder counts. The judge in that trial was removed by a federal appeals court after prosecutors argued his rulings showed bias.

Paul Bergrin has been behind bars since his arrest in 2009, and several others arrested with him have pleaded guilty. He's acting as his own attorney during the trial.

 

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

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