Ex-Senator Admits Doing 'An Awful Lot Wrong'

Former US senator John Edwards, who hid an affair from his dying wife, has been acquitted on one of six charges of misusing campaign funds.

Judge Catherine Eagles declared a mistrial on the five other counts amid a jury deadlock on whether the former Democratic presidential hopeful took money from wealthy donors to keep voters from learning he was cheating on his cancer-stricken wife, Elizabeth, who died in 2010.

Mr Edwards began his extramarital affair with his then-mistress campaign videographer Rielle Hunter in 2006. They have a four-year-old daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter.

As the jury delivered its verdict, the 58-year-old, who did not testify during the six-week-long trial and faced possible fines and prison if convicted, fell back in his seat in relief.

On the steps of the court in Greensboro, North Carolina, he maintained his innocence, but admitted he had done "an awful, awful lot that was wrong".

Accompanied by his 30-year-old daughter Cate and parents, he said: "While I do not believe I did anything illegal, or ever thought I was doing anything illegal, I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong, and there is no one else responsible for my sins.

"I am responsible, and if I want to find the person who should be held accountable for my sins, honestly I don't have to go any further than the mirror. It's me. It is me and me alone."

Mr Edwards received \$725,000 (£474,000) from 101-year-old banking heiress Rachel Mellon and \$200,000 (£131,000) from trial lawyer Fred Baron and was accused of funnelling the money to Ms Hunter and campaign aide Andrew Young, who said he once falsely claimed paternity of Mr Edwards' love-child at the candidate's request.

He was found not guilty on one count relating to a donation in January 2008.

It is not yet known whether there will be a retrial on the other counts.