Good Luck, Former IL Gov. George Ryan
Posted on Mon Sep 19, 2005 at 10:01:50 AM EST
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Bump and Update: Jury selection is underway. Six jurors have been dismissed and opening arguments likely will begin Thursday.
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Original Post (9/18)
Former Illinois Governor George Ryan's federal corruption trial begins Monday.
Accused of doling out big-money state contracts and leases to political insiders, the 71-year-old veteran politician is scheduled to go to trial Monday, charged in a 22-count indictment with racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud, lying to the FBI and tax fraud.
It's another case of purchased testimony, testimony bought with promises of leniency. Freedom is a far more precious commodity than money. How's it looking for Gov. Ryan?
Just before leaving office, Ryan commuted the sentences of all 167 Illinois death row inmates to life and pardoned four men convicted of murder, saying evidence against them was unconvincing. He had earlier put a hold on state executions, citing a flawed system that sent 13 wrongfully convicted men to death row. That made Ryan a hero to capital punishment critics -- some of whom are now standing by his side.
"My assessment is that the government case relies entirely on witnesses of extremely dubious credibility whose testimony has been procured under extreme coercion," said Rob Warden, the executive director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University law school.
Add TalkLeft to the list of his supporters. We'll keep you posted on trial developments as they occur.
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