After nine hours of jury deliberation, former Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman was acquitted of two counts of felony misuse of public money Thursday morning.
Workman raised her fists in triumph and relief as the court clerk read "not guilty" to both counts.
"Crying a little, yeah," Workman said after she walked out of 3rd District Court a free woman. "It's against my rules to cry, (but) it was a little too much. It's been an emotional year."
Salt Lake District Attorney David Yocom charged Workman Sept. 7, based on the hiring of two employees who were paid by the county but worked at the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Valley under the supervision of Workman's daughter.
The former mayor fought back tears as she mouthed "thank you" to the eight-member jury and gave defense attorneys Greg Skordas and Jack Morgan long hugs.
She saved her most audible reaction for later. After answering questions from reporters, Workman waited for the Matheson Courthouse elevator doors to close before she let out a loud scream, releasing emotion accumulated over more than seven months of investigation, forced administrative leave from being mayor, withdrawal from her re-election race and a six-day trial.
"I've got to sit down and get my knees together, stop shaking, give my husband a hug," she said.
Special prosecutor Mike Martinez said he was "a little" surprised by the outcome but said the jury "did a fair and admirable job." He shook hands with and congratulated Workman and her attorneys after the verdict.
Yocom released a statement saying, in part, "We respect the integrity of this process, the integrity of the justice system, and we accept and respect the decision of the jurors in this matter." He did not speak to the media.
In light of the acquittal, several Workman supporters resurrected their contention that Yocom's charges were politically motivated. Workman herself, however — who has said the same thing in the past — was circumspect.
"I guess the only one who knows that is David Yocom, in his heart," she said.
District attorney officials were unable to say Thursday what putting on the case has cost the county. Yocom had earlier estimated that it would be tens of thousands of dollars.
As for Workman's attorneys, they said they plan to apply to the county for reimbursement of their fees. While Morgan declined to name a specific figure, he said the total amounts to "a lot."
Workman mortgaged her house to finance her defense. She said she has used no campaign funds for the purpose. Yocom is reportedly investigating her withdrawal of almost $175,000 from the closing of her defunct campaign fund, which she said she has put into a savings account pending legal advice on what she can do with it.
As is often done in criminal cases, Martinez had extended at least two settlement offers in which Workman could plea-bargain down to one or more misdemeanors instead of felonies — including one offer Thursday morning just before the jury returned its verdict.
Skordas said he was inclined to accept at least one of the offers, but Workman, convinced of her ultimate vindication, was adamant that she see the process through to the end.
"I trusted her judgment, and now I do more than ever," Skordas said.
While former Workman re-election campaign chairman Chris Bleak lamented the timing of the acquittal ("Justice delayed is justice denied"), Workman said she was keeping it all in perspective.
"So what?" she said of her losing her job and re-election prospects. "Two felonies. . . . It didn't work out, but we're innocent now, and thank God for that. The scenario was I would be wearing an orange suit and (be) behind bars."
Combined, the charges carried a potential penalty of zero to 20 years in prison.
Workman said she hasn't yet thought much about the future — political or otherwise — except for one thing.
"I feel a party coming on."
E-mail: aedwards@desnews.com