Rod Blagojevich Testifies at Re-Trial

By Jeralyn, Section Corruption Cases
Posted on Fri May 27, 2011 at 08:01:48 PM EST
Tags: Rod Blagojevich (all tags)

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Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich testified in his defense today. He was on the stand for five hours and most of the testimony was just telling his life story to date.

Blagojevich began a meandering testimony that had all the melodrama and filigree of a Lifetime movie. It began with his childhood and moved to his college years and beyond in a five-hour performance, one that was not finished by the time the court adjourned for the day. The intricacies were as crosshatched as the tie he wore.

He was self-deprecating, humorous and congenial. [More...]

Everything the ex-governor said seemed to dovetail with his defense strategy in his previous trial - which led to a hung jury and the federal government's decision to not pursue charges against his co-defendent, his elder brother Robert. The core of that strategy was that Rod Blagojevich liked to talk a good game but was not competent or capable enough to carry out any of his intentions, as corrupt as they may have sounded.

He returns to the stand next week. How he fares under cross-examination is anyone's guess. All he needs is one juror for a hung jury.

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Rod Blagojevich Testifies at Re-Trial | 5 comments (5 topical)

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nice play by him and his lawyers (none / 0) (#1)
by scribe on Fri May 27, 2011 at 09:17:10 PM EST

By spending the whole day on his life up to now, he left the prosecution with a whole weekend to prepare cross-examination on ... what he did or didn't do in fourth grade. He had to burn Friday so the prosecution would have little to spend its weekend on and looks to have pulled that off.

: Wondering how his life story is relevant, (none / 0) (#2)
by oculus on Sat May 28, 2011 at 02:14:52 AM EST

and if it isn't, why the prosecution didn't object.

Can't help it (none / 0) (#3)
by Nemi on Sat May 28, 2011 at 05:58:29 AM EST

but these

self-deprecating, humorous and congenial

are such winning traits in my book. Yes, I do have a soft spot for that guy. ;)

I wonder if the feds (none / 0) (#4)
by Zorba on Sat May 28, 2011 at 09:32:11 AM EST

will re-try him a third time if the jury hangs again? Why is the federal government wasting money re-trying this guy when they could do something truly earth-shattering and important for the very future of our country......like trying Lance Armstrong? (That was a snark, BTW.)

: Ain't it (none / 0) (#7)
by Zorba on Sat May 28, 2011 at 06:10:29 PM EST

the truth? The US DoJ isn't going to go after the real financial malefactors, though. They're too busy going after Blago, Bonds, Armstrong, medical marijuana, online poker, and all kinds of things like this. The Flying Spaghetti Monster forbid that they go after the financial "wizards" who did their very best to drag this country into a recession.