Former Illinois Governor George Ryan pleaded not guilty today to official corruption charges and issued this statement:

....Lura Lynn and I have spent more than three decades in service to the people of Illinois. I have tried my best to be faithful to that service, and to earn the trust and support of the voters who elected me in election after election. I would not dishonor that trust by the kind of conduct the government has alleged, and I am grateful for the calls and letters that I have received from people who are standing by me.

I have retained Dan Webb, an outstanding trial lawyer and fighter, because I am not going to give up -- I will fight. I want to respond to the six years of abuse my family and I have endured as the federal government has torn apart my personal life with this intrusive and overbearing investigation. Therefore, I will not plea bargain -- I will go to trial and establish my innocence.

....I am innocent and the truth will come out in court.

Among the defects in the Government's case, according to Ryan's lawyer: There is no witness who will testify that Ryan took a bribe.

A Virginia jury rejected the death penalty today for John Lee Malvo in the "sniper trial." Malvo was 17 at the time of the crimes. This is a resounding defeat for Ashcroft:

Attorney General John Ashcroft had cited Virginia's ability to impose "the ultimate sanction" in sending Malvo and Muhammad to Virginia for prosecution.

Virginia is one of only 21 states that allow the execution of those who were 16 or 17 when they killed. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, Virginia is one of only six states that have actually executed someone whose crime was committed as a juvenile.

Update: Jurors talk about deliberations. The vote began 7 to 5 for death. They say they were anguished and tormented. Muhammad's jurors discuss the verdict here--some get it, some don't.

And Virginia keeps killing juveniles.

Update: The Judge ruled prosecutors can view Rush's medical records.

The judge said the state has a "compelling" interest in determining whether Limbaugh broke the law, trumping his right to keep his medical records private.

Rush's lawyers will appeal by the end of the day

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At a hearing today on whether prosecutors are entitled to Rush Limbaugh's medical records, Limbaugh's lawyer, Roy Black, told the court that the radio host was being blackmailed by his ex-housekeeper to the tune of $4 million--and that fear of becoming a criminal target stopped him from going to the FBI.

Prosecutors say Rush got prescriptions for 2,000 pills over a five month period--they are investigating whether he engaged in "doctor shopping" -- "getting multiple prescriptions from several doctors that he could not have received from just one" -- which is a felony in Florida. Prosecutors say he sometimes got more than one prescription in a single month. It is in connection with investigating Rush's prescriptions, rather than his dealings with his housekeeper, that prosecutors want to see his doctors' records:

Earlier this month, prosecutors executed search warrants to seize Limbaugh's medical records from two doctors. Under Florida law, a judge must give his approval before prosecutors can review those records.

At a hearing Monday afternoon, Limbaugh's attorneys argued that authorities should not be given access to the records, saying prosecutors could have used "less intrusive means" to obtain information for their investigation, such as issuing subpoenas to doctors for records and information.

Update: The transcript of the defense closing argument is here.

The defense has rested and closing arguments have been completed in the sentencing phase of the "sniper" trial of John Lee Malvo. Malvo did not testify in his own defense, but his father testified for him. The jury is now deliberating on life or death for Malvo.

The defense lawyers were trying to elicit testimony from their witnesses that showed that Malvo had some remorse for the sniper murders and that he had some redeeming qualities that might convince the jury to sentence him life in prison without parole instead of death.

If sentenced to death, Malvo will be the youngest person on death row in the country.

Al Gore's son was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana following a traffic stop in Maryland. His two companions were also arrested.

Albert A. Gore III, 21, was arrested Friday night after he was stopped for driving a vehicle without its headlights on....A Montgomery County, Md., police officer stopped the car, a dark-colored Cadillac, in Bethesda, a Washington suburb, around 11:30 p.m. Friday.

The officer noticed the car's windows and sunroof were open, despite cold temperatures Friday night. There was also a smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to a news release from the police department.

A search of the vehicle turned up a partial marijuana cigarette, a cigarette box containing suspected marijuana, and a soft drink can that also smelled of marijuana.

We wonder if his name wasn't Al Gore III, whether he wouldn't have just been issued a summons. What a waste of law enforcement resources.

As anticipated, the Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office filed criminal charges of child molestation today against Michael Jackson. Jackson's lawyer, Michael Jackson, said he will fight these charges "with every fiber of his being." We believe it. We hope he prevails.

nine-count felony complaint charged Jackson with seven counts alleging lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent. The molestation charges each carry between three and eight years in prison.

No specific details of the alleged acts were included in the complaint, which repeatedly stated they were committed "with the intent of arousing, appealing to, and gratifying the lust, passions, and sexual desires" of Jackson and the child. The complaint further alleged that Jackson had "substantial sexual conduct" with the child in February and March.

Malvo Found Guilty of Capital Murder....the jury will now have to decide life or death.

Update: If Malvo is sentenced to death, he will be the youngest death row inmate in the country.

The jury retired for the day without a verdict in the trial of accused sniper John Lee Malvo. But they did have questions. While you can never predict what a jury is going to do, from the sound of this one, we'd say an insanity verdict is a definite possibility:

The jury also asked for help with the definition it was given of malice, a necessary element to a murder conviction. Jurors had trouble with the instruction that an act is malicious only when "the mind of the actor is under control of reason."

The Santa Barbara County DA's Office has announced that charges of child molestation will be filed against Michael Jackson Thursday. On a related note, Kobe Byrant's pre-trial motions hearing is Friday.

We wonder how much Saddam coverage will be interrupted for these cases. Probably a lot. Saddam may be becoming yesterday's news. We read an interesting article yesterday regarding foreign interest in Saddam's arrest outside the Middle East. Apparently, it's barely news in China and India:

Outside Europe the media reported Saddam's capture, but with surprisingly little comment. The Chinese press quoted a routine comment from the foreign ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao. He said China hoped that catching Saddam would be "conducive to the Iraqi people taking their destiny into their own hands, and to realizing peace and stability."

Papers in India, not by nature reticent in expressing their views, seemed on this occasion to take their cue from the puzzling reaction of Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha. As reported in the India Daily, Sinha can hardly be said to have been bursting with suppressed excitement. "We have taken note that (Saddam) Hussein has been arrested in Iraq," he said. But did India welcome the news, he was asked. "It's only a question of taking note of a development," the minister replied carefully. "That's all."

Bump and Update: A 91 page Indictment was returned against former Governor Ryan today.

The indictment alleges that for more than a decade Ryan let his friends wield great influence in state government and profit from his positions as secretary of state and later, governor. Ryan allowed some of his friends, who were not state employees, to steer state contracts in return for bribes and gave others insider information that they could profit from, while ignoring complaints of wrongdoing from employees and others.

In return, the indictment alleges, Ryan and his family received illegal cash payments, gifts, vacations and personal services from his friends and associates. The indictment did not list a dollar figure for Ryan but said members of his family got cash loans and gifts totaling $167,000.

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Original post 9:46 am

WBEZ Chicago is reporting credible rumors that former Illinois Gov. George Ryan will be indicted by a Federal grand jury today. Here's more from NBC5.com :

Former Gov. George Ryan, R-Ill., could be indicted by a grand jury as early as Wednesday, according to NBC5's Dick Kay and Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed, who is also an NBC5 contributor.

Justice Department leaks indicate that Ryan will face charges of extortion, racketeering and income tax evasion. You can listen to WBEZ on line here.

Update: Here's why we think former Gov. Ryan still deserves to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Our congratulations to Wynona Ryder for earning the Judge's praise for her conduct on probation resulting from her shoplifting conviction:

Actress Winona Ryder was commended by a judge Monday for abiding by the rules of her probation in a shoplifting case. Ryder's lawyer, Shepard Kopp, said outside court that the judge plans to review the case later and consider reducing her felony convictions to misdemeanors.

"I want to compliment you on your behavior on probation," Superior Court Judge Elden Fox told the actress, who did not speak during the hearing. He said her probation report had been very positive. " And there's an indication that things are going well," he said. Fox ordered Ryder to return to court May 26 for a six-month review and said he would decide then if she needs continued probation supervision.

Ms. Ryder has completed 480 hours of community service at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte.

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Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh filed a court petition today seeking to keep his medical records private:

The conservative radio host cannot be treated for his medical conditions because the state seized his charts and files last month and intimidated his doctors, the court petition said.

"No citizen would want these highly personal details to be held by minions of the state to finger through at their leisure. Nor would any sane person wish his medical diagnosis and medical prescriptions to be widely published on television shows, tabloid newspapers, Web sites and the like," the petition says.

Limbaugh's attorney, Roy Black, has accused the State Attorney's Office of having political motives for its investigation.

Mr. Limbaugh is being investigated for illegally purchasing prescription pain medication and possibly for money laundering.