Blagojevich Verdict : Live Blog

By Jeralyn, Section Corruption Cases
Posted on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 03:26:34 PM EST
Tags: Rod Blagojevich (all tags)

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Reporters are on the move. The Blagojevich family appears headed to the courthouse. Looks like we have a verdict. I just found an easier way to post new developments. I created a TalkLeft Live Twitter feed. It will update automatically every time I add a tweet with updates.

Recap of charges below: [More...]

Defendant Rod Blagojevich is charged with: racketeering (Count 1), conspiracy to commit racketeering (Count 2), wire fraud (Counts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13), attempted extortion (Counts 14, 15, 19, and 22), conspiracy to commit extortion (Counts 17 and 21), bribery (Counts 16 and 20), conspiracy to commit bribery (Counts 18 and 23), and making false statements to the government (Count 24).

Defendant Robert Blagojevich is charged with: wire fraud (Count 4), conspiracy to commit extortion (Count 21), attempted extortion (Count 22), and conspiracy to commit bribery (Count 23).

Also check out below, WGN is live-streaming the inside of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.

< Will The ADL Issue A Statement On Glenn Beck's "I Have A Dream" Speech? | Why Retry Rod and Robert Blagojevich? Enough is Enough >

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Blagojevich Verdict : Live Blog | 40 comments (40 topical)

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thank god (5.00 / 2) (#1)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 03:36:12 PM EST

a respite from religion

But politicks is the religion (none / 0) (#26)
by Cream City on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:00:21 PM EST

in Chitown, as you would know. Not that the pols count on only a wish and a prayer at the polls.

Heck, the pols there can even raise the dead!


: I guess that makes (none / 0) (#28)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:05:27 PM EST

Blago Lazarus today.

And how much (5.00 / 1) (#20)
by Zorba on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:52:36 PM EST

....did this cost the government (read:taxpayers)?

the (none / 0) (#2)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 03:56:29 PM EST

disembodied voice just said that Blago walked by the cameras without even looking.
what could that possibly mean?

Twitter Feed (none / 0) (#3)
by ScottW714 on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 03:56:55 PM EST

I can not get it at work, someone fill me in.

: Per twitter feed (none / 0) (#4)
by MO Blue on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:02:02 PM EST

verdict will be read at 4:15 CT. Both brothers and their attorneys at court house.

: verdict to be read 4:15 (none / 0) (#6)
by Jeralyn on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:03:46 PM EST

you can hear live here

this whole 4:15 business (none / 0) (#9)
by CST on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:08:35 PM EST

is confusing. What time zone is Chicago? CST? <- yes I think that acronym is funny.

It's 5:08 here on the east coast.

: we will know (none / 0) (#10)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:14:56 PM EST

in about 30 seconds.
is it always this chaotic?

MSNBC reports (none / 0) (#11)
by scribe on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:34:56 PM EST

the only guilty is the false statements and the rest - 23/24 - hung

: just heard something similar (none / 0) (#12)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:36:01 PM EST

someone says "it far from over" hung on all but one.

Yes, mistrial declared on other counts (none / 0) (#14)
by Cream City on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:42:31 PM EST

and Fitzgerald staffer says there will be a retrial.

Jeesh. But perhaps the gummint would go with fewer charges and figure out how to explain them to a jury, if there is a next time.

Or perhaps the gummint will figure out that it has blown it -- and leeeeeeeave Blago alooooooone.

What they say today (5.00 / 1) (#16)
by Peter G on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:46:15 PM EST

is not necessarily what they do tomorrow.


Oh, I know. False bravado (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by Cream City on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:57:09 PM EST

has been displayed by more than Blago.


How does it effect the progress on 1 (none / 0) (#21)
by MO Blue on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:54:28 PM EST

guilty verdict, if they decide to retry other counts? IOW must they be resolved before appeals begin or Blago serves time for the one count?


Yes - no sentencing and no appeal (5.00 / 1) (#30)
by Peter G on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:06:43 PM EST

until the rest of the counts are disposed of. See my comment #22 below, with linked Seventh Circuit citation.


: Thanks for info (none / 0) (#42)
by MO Blue on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:58:25 PM EST

Comment #22 was not posted when I started typing my question. As always, your comments are clear and easily understood by us non lawyer folks.

Here in the dark at work (none / 0) (#23)
by BackFromOhio on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:56:39 PM EST

so to speak. What's the basis for a mistrial?


Hung jury on 23 counts (none / 0) (#25)
by MO Blue on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:58:05 PM EST

Thanks (none / 0) (#29)
by BackFromOhio on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:05:53 PM EST

Basis for mistrial is what exactly? (none / 0) (#36)
by robrecht on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:21:39 PM EST

Not a lawyer--I still don't understand the basis for declaring a mistrial. If the jury isn't unanimous with a guilty verdict, why isn't that the same as an aquittal on those other 23 counts? Why isn't this the same as double jeopardy?


Under longstanding Supreme Court precedent (5.00 / 1) (#37)
by Peter G on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:26:02 PM EST

a verdict must be unanimous either way -- either for a conviction or for an acquittal. If the jury cannot agree on particular count of the indictment, that count is considered "mistried." For lack of a resolution (verdict) the "jeopardy" continues on that count; a retrial is not "double" jeopardy because the first trial was not completed. That's the doctrine. You can argue about whether it seems fair, but it's well-settled, and ain't changing.


: Thanks! (none / 0) (#39)
by robrecht on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:31:09 PM EST

Heheheheh (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:46:53 PM EST

Love it. And Fox's Shep Smith has been referring to him for months very gravely as "our Blago."

Got to admit, I've come to rather like old Blago over these past months.

And I'm flat-out amazed Fitzgerald took this to trial with so little. I figured what had been revealed back at the beginning was just the tip of the iceberg, but it turned out it was the whole cube.


: I have found out (none / 0) (#18)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:48:45 PM EST

he has a lot of friends in this state.

Or perhaps (none / 0) (#19)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:50:18 PM EST

the gummint will just drop it. For all intent and purpose they got no convictions. I suspect the tax base in Illinois is no better than it is here....just drop it, Fitzgerald....


: Federal charges (5.00 / 1) (#27)
by MO Blue on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:02:30 PM EST

Wouldn't the trial expenses be incurred by federal government and not the state?

oh great (none / 0) (#15)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:45:48 PM EST

and they say the one conviction is "very appealable"

The Seventh Circuit (which governs) (none / 0) (#22)
by Peter G on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 04:56:32 PM EST

... does not allow an appeal of one count -- nor even a sentencing, which must precede any appeal -- until all counts are disposed of. That means either the govt accepts this verdict and dismisses the remaining counts, or there is a retrial that leads to verdicts. Until then, the one guilty verdict just sits there.


from where I sit (none / 0) (#31)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:07:52 PM EST

and I know its anecdotal this circus is not popular. even with Blagos detractors. a retrial will be even less popular. everyone is sick of this and wants it to go away.
I will be very interested to see how it proceeds.


Fitz is not running for office (none / 0) (#33)
by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:13:16 PM EST

He can f*ck with Blago for another year now.


: I bet he (none / 0) (#35)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:17:37 PM EST

is more careful with jury selection next time

Huh (none / 0) (#32)
by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:09:56 PM EST

I thought there would be no convictions.

I don't like where Blago is sitting right now - convicted of a felony (subject to appeal of course) and facing retrial.

Cut a deal now?

That would be the conventional course (none / 0) (#38)
by Peter G on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:27:49 PM EST

of action, BTD. Fer sher.


: for some reason (none / 0) (#40)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:33:45 PM EST

I doubt he cuts a deal

Loss of face is only reason for retrial (none / 0) (#34)
by Saul on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:15:33 PM EST

Fitz, is embarrassed and cannot admit defeat. His reputation is at stake and will retry but only to save his reputation from this embarrassment.

I'm no friend of Blago but he was one of many Pol that make these deals since time began. He was just unlucky to be caught. The funny thing that the quid pro quo was never allowed to happen.

I say do not retry and let it go and get over it Fritz

: I'd say this is a big-time (none / 0) (#41)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 05:47:57 PM EST

loss of face. How many famous federal prosecutors you know willing to take a gigantic loss of face and go quietly off into the night in disgrace and become a national joke?
Not a chance. They will retry.

Wondering (none / 0) (#43)
by christinep on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 06:02:07 PM EST

Has the former Governor reinvented himself in our eyes...or is it just the passage of time? My memory of the early days when the "news" was capturing the press and the public was that Blago was viewed as a kind of dead-man-walking. I vaguely recall the majority of comments on blogs singing that same song as well. I'm no fan of the Blago personage, but I found that the allegations and content about what so many were so certain gradually shifted over the months. What time and a trial will do!

They should give it up (none / 0) (#44)
by Untold Story on Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 09:35:12 PM EST

He has lost much because of these charges.

The money should be spent on some youth program, much needed in Chicago.