Mistrial declared in 3rd federal trial of Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty

A mistrial has been declared in the latest federal trial against former labor leader John Dougherty , according to his attorney.

Jury deliberations started Thursday in the case that centered around allegations that Johnny Doc threatened a contractor amid a work dispute involving his nephew, Gregory Fiocca, for a Local 98 job.

An indictment says between October 2019 and August 19, 2020, Fiocca frequently did not show up for work and did not do the work that was assigned to him. For these reasons, he was sometimes paid for fewer than 40 hours of work for the week.

When Dougherty learned of the issues, he blamed the people who were supervising the job, the indictment says.

The arguments about payments allegedly escalated into violence.

That's when federal prosecutors say Dougherty threatened the contractor by withholding overtime work on the site, pulling all electricians off the job, or preventing future work unless his nephew was paid.

This was the third federal trial for Doughtery.

The longtime union boss was convicted last year of embezzling more than $650,000 from the electrician's union he once led.

Philadelphia labor union leader Johnny "Doc" Dougherty was arrested by federal authorities on 19 counts of conspiracy and extortion.