Jurors in Espada Embezzlement Trial Indicate Verdict May Be Near As jurors in the federal embezzlement trial of former State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. indicated Thursday that they might be close to a verdict after nine days of deliberations, Mr. Espada said he believed that an unusual force was at work: "evil spiritual powers." Addressing a scrum of reporters outside Federal District Court in Brooklyn, Mr. Espada held up rosary beads and said, "We Catholics fight that off with this." Mr. Espada and his son Pedro Gautier Espada are accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a nonprofit health network in the Bronx, which the elder Mr. Espada founded and ran, to support his family's lavish lifestyle. After nearly six weeks of testimony, the case now rests with the jury, which has punctuated its deliberations with notes to the judge suggesting widely varying degrees of progress. One note said jurors were screaming and cursing at each other. Another said they were deliberating thoughtfully. Jurors then said they were at an impasse. Finally, on Thursday, they indicated that a verdict might be near. The changes have swung the moods of people in the courtroom, perhaps most notably Mr. Espada, who takes to the street outside the courthouse every day to talk with reporters. On Wednesday, after a note from the jury said the jury could not reach a unanimous decision, Mr. Espada emerged from the courthouse triumphant. "It was the government's job to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to 12 people," he said. With all of the taxpayer money at their hands, they failed to do that. But a day later, his mood seemed to reflect the jury's handwritten note that was read Thursday. In it, the jury forewoman said, "If we find one defendant guilty/not guilty and can't come to a decision on the other defendant, what happens to the count?" All of a sudden, evil spirits were lurking. Mr. Espada said a federal agent in the case was using her jewelry, attire and seating position to influence its outcome. If convicted on all counts, Mr. Espada and his son would face up to 10 years in prison for embezzlement and 5 years for conspiracy. Deliberations are scheduled to resume on Friday.