Published: Friday, December 10, 2010, 2:42 PM    

Updated: Friday, December 10, 2010, 2:46 PM

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2010/12/judge_declines_to_dismiss_char.html

Jurors will decide whether former Jersey City Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith accepted bribes and is guilty of money laundering.

After the prosecution rested its case against Smith on Tuesday, his attorney Peter Willis filed a motion to have the charges dismissed, arguing the government did not produce enough evidence to convict Smith.

U.S. District Judge Jose Linares denied the defense’s motion today.

“I think there is sufficient evidence for this matter to continue,” Linares said.

Smith is on trial accused of accepting $15,000 from a purported developer in exchange for his official assistance as a state assemblyman.

Smith is also charged with a count of money laundering for allegedly having $5,000 in cash converted into a check and money orders that were funneled to his campaign fund when he was running for mayor of Jersey City in May 2009.

Linares said he felt the government had produced sufficient evidence through taped meetings and witness testimony for a jury to find Smith guilty of the charges.

Smith is back on the stand this afternoon taking questions from Willis.