Witness Says Rep. Reynolds Offered Cash to Alter Story

A 21-year-old Chicago woman testified Wednesday that Rep. Mel Reynolds (D-Ill.) offered her cash not to cooperate with prosecutors regarding sexual misconduct charges against him.

Stephanie Adams said that Reynolds offered her $10,000 in January, $5,000 “before the trial was over and the other $5,000 after the trial.”

Adams testified she met Reynolds, 43, while walking home from school when she was 16, but further details of the relationship were barred from being entered into the court record.

Adams told the court Reynolds wanted her to change statements she made regarding their relationship and to make it appear as if she initiated their relationship in 1990.

“I told him I could not cooperate, it was too much pressure on me,” Adams said in testimony.

Reynolds is charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated sexual abuse, child pornography and obstructing justice involving Beverly Heard, 19, a former campaign worker. He has denied the charges.

The trial was recessed until Monday, when the prosecution is expected to rest its case.

Earlier Wednesday, a Chicago banker testified that Reynolds withdrew $4,500 from his bank account at the time a key witness against him left the state.

William Asselborn, president of National State Bank of Chicago, said Reynolds withdrew $4,500 on June 15, 1994, two days before Beverly Heard went to Tennessee.

Heard testified Monday and Tuesday that she had sex with Reynolds when she was 16.

Heard spent 13 days in jail on orders from Criminal Court Judge Fred Suria because she initially refused to testify in the case. She was freed Tuesday after completing her testimony and left the courthouse with a police escort.

In her testimony, she acknowledged signing affidavits in which she said she did not have sex with Reynolds. She originally brought sexual misconduct charges against Reynolds and then withdrew the allegations.

Reynolds was first elected to Congress in 1992 and represents a district on Chicago’s South Side.