Defense rests quickly in Eversole corruption case

Jerry Eversole walks into the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse for the jury selection for his court case, Monday, March 7, 2011, in Houston.

Defense lawyers for Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole rested this morning without calling a single witness after prosecutors ended their two-and-a-half weeks of testimony alleging Eversole took bribes in exchange for five multimillion dollar construction projects.

Federal prosecutors had rested earlier in the morning.

Jurors are now expected to return Friday for closing arguments. Both sides wanted to work through Thursday on the instructions jurors will get before deliberating Eversole's fate. They will be asked to decide what his intent was when he accepted more than $100,000 in cash and gifts from developer Michael Surface.

Eversole's attorneys have said the commissioner's acceptance of more than $100,000 in cash and gifts was part of a 30-year friendship full of favors, birthday presents and trips together.

brian.rogers@chron.com