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I’ve thought for a few weeks now that George Ryan’s trial was taking a familiar turn. Prosecutors spending way too much time making a very complicated case in fear or at least in anticipation of the defendant’s “dream team” of lawyers. Defense putting on a fairly straight-forward, relatively quick rebuttal. This is from defense attorney Dan Webb’s statement to jurors today.
George Ryan’s lead attorney told jurors today that federal prosecutors “realize this case is in trouble” because they simply cannot prove the former governor ever took a bribe or a kickback.
The widely anticipated argument opened with attorney Dan Webb telling jurors that Ryan has endured “seven years of hell” as his life was ripped apart by federal investigators.
Despite hundreds of interviews and the presentation of 83 witnesses in the trial, the government never turned up one person who saw Ryan take money to influence his decisions, Webb said.
“(Prosecutor Joel) Levin said whether he was getting any money or not was just the icing on the cake. I say that it is the cake,” Webb said, his voice filling the courtroom as he spoke.
Not quite the brilliant poetry of Johnnie Cochran’s summation, but I can sure hear an echo.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 3:50 pm
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OK deleted’s, stop messing around. I got better things to do with my time than delete that juvenile stuff.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 4:10 pm
Rich -
I’ve said all along that, at least as far as press reports indicated, prosecutors may have presented a mountain of evidence, but they never presented a smoking gun.
John Kass wrote a great piece today, offering us if not the smoking gun, atleast some serious smoke. How did the Governor live on $174 in cash a year?
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 4:22 pm
Ryan has been charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, tax fraud and false statements. Ryan has not been charged with bribery or extortion.
For mail fraud the prosecutors need only prove that Ryan deprived the citizens of Illinois their intangible right to honest services. No money need change hands to uphold a mail fraud conviction. Defense attorneys hate the intangible rights element of mail fraud, but it is the law of the land.
This could be like the Betty Loren Maltese trial. That trial lasted 3 months and most of the evidence was dull, financial records and the like. There were no TV drama “smoking gun” statements on the witness stand. After both sides rested the jury deliberated for 11 days which was suppposed to be a sign that Betty was in good shape. Nevertheless the final verdict was guilty.
I’m not saying Ryan is dead in the water, but Webb is taking a huge gamble by arguing that no money = no conviction.
Comment by Navin Johnson Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 4:28 pm
I don’t see what was inappropriate about making a harmless throw-away reference on a blog to an Illinois political anecdote of the past but of course the owner can do as he wishes.
Comment by Establishment Republican Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 4:29 pm
Me thinks Ryan believes he’s losing this case; why else would Lura Lynn have “suddenly” spoken up in his defense last week? Why else would Ryan “unwittingly” leak information to the press, without first telling his attorney?
Desperate actions from a desperate man.
Comment by Walking Wounded Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 4:37 pm
YDD and Navin are right, this case is going to appeal to jurors as normal people, not as lawyers. The prosecution did a very effective job of summing up the common sense aspects of the case. Kass simplified it, but this will turn on the jurors saying that they just couldn’t explain his living and spending habits any other way than that he was improperly getting cash.
Now, after spending $20mil to defend the case, will Winston be willing to pony up for an appeal if Ryan goes down? There are a LOT of unhappy partners over there complaining about what impact this is having on firm finances.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 4:40 pm
I got a 6-pack of Heineken that says he walks.
Comment by B Hicks Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 4:45 pm
I hope he walks. I hate the Feds.
Comment by shelbyville Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 5:49 pm
Regardless of whether Ryan ever serves a day in prison, he is a ruined man. His reputation has been trashed and he will be forever held up as the Poster Boy for “The Stained and Tarnished”. What kind of legacy is that for George, Laura Lynn, and their posterity?
It is much like how Benedict Arnhold is going to be forever remembered by every American child in school. Benedict Arnold= 1)famous Revolutionary War Hero? or, 2) infamous American traitor?
George Ryan= 1)fought against the death penalty in Illinois? or, 2)corrupt Illinois politician who stole from the state’s taxpayers?
I watched a formerly respected local businessman get caught up in passively aiding in a corporate fraud. Former business associates and friends avoided him like the plague after other corporate officers went on trial. The feds couldn’t get enough evidence on him to convict him. His wife & he used to go buy their groceries late at night so they wouldn’t run into anyone. Look for George & Laura Lynn to do their shopping at 10-11 PM at the local Jewel or Dominicks in Kankakee, Illinois in the near future.
Comment by Beowulf Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 6:42 pm
He walks….
Comment by Bill Baar Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 7:04 pm
If George walks, Patrick Fitzgerald will lose a decent amount of his mojo. This case, to me, is so open and shut that the only way the jury will find Goerge and Larry innocent stems from basic voter and constituent cynicism. To me, all of the negative news stories, investigations and employee testimony is enough to put George behind bars not for vengeance but for symbolic reasons. Blago, are you paying attention?!
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 7:14 pm
He ain’t walking
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 7:15 pm
Seven years of hell? That’s what a lot of folks down here in the ‘patch call the Blago regime!
Comment by Reagan Republican Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 7:48 pm
Shelbyville,
I don’t think most taxpaying citizens of Illinois share your contempt for the feds. Rather, they hate the crass corruption and arrogance of the insiders, best personified by George Ryan.
If Ryan gets convicted, as he should and probably will, I hope he finally has the common decency to apologize to the Willis family.
However, nothing in Ryan’s 30 plus year political career gives any indication that he will do the honorable thing. Rather, his career is a testiment to doing the opposite.
Before someone retorts with his death penalty work, try thinking about the families he betrayed with his blanket commutations. Remember those hearings in the Thompson Center where the death row cases were reviewed and the victim’s families and survivors of violent crime had to relive the worst events of their lives? Ryan ignored the recommendations of his board that reviewed the cases and gave out blanket commutations, exactly has he had promised he wouldn’t. Real classy, make the victims relive the horror for no reason. Typical Ryan.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 8:17 pm
No deposit slip? You must acquit.
Comment by Johnnie C From Beyond The Grave Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 9:40 pm
What are we going to talk about after the verdict and after the primary?
Ryan is innocent.
Comment by reagan republican Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 10:07 pm
Anon 8:17
You seem to know Governor Ryan pretty well, given the scope of your description of his corruption. Maybe I just don’t know him as well as you do.
Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 11:21 pm
Read John Kass in today’s Trib……George lived on $174.00 in cash one year, another he deposited over $7,000 in cash but no explanation on tax returns where the money came from. Not using the ATM for 10 years is going to convict him. Stick a fork in him, he is done!
Comment by Paul Powell Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 11:27 pm
You know, the Feds blew a case against the “terror professor” in Florida by making the case too complex for the jury to understand.
One would HOPE my namesake watched and learned.
Comment by Pat collins Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 8:58 am
Mr. Schnorf:
I am sure that you know former Governor Ryan on a personal level better than I do. I have followed former Governor Ryan’s career very closely. In addition, I have followed the news accounts and filings in court very closely. I am not an acquaintance, colleague, former staffer or friend of Ryan.
I don’t think George Ryan is 100% evil or is without any redeeming qualities. However, I do believe he was an incredibly corrupt and dishonest politician.
I don’t doubt that all of your interactions with Ryan were on the up and up as you have posted in other threads. However, the former Governor is not on trial for his actions in regard to the state budget (If I remember correctly you were his budget guy), but for criminal conduct in relation to contracts and other activities while he was Secretary of State.
Some believe all the corruption occured without Ryan’s approval and knowledge, but I just can’t buy that premise.
Finally, I don’t think personal relationships are necessary for an individual to come to an accurate conclusion about another person. In fact, juries are composed of people with no significant relationships with a defendant or prosecutors because of legitimate concerns that those personal relationships will cloud the juror’s ability to be impartial.
Comment by Anon 8:17 Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 9:49 am
Annon 817
Personal relationships were not the point Steve was trying to make. Impartiality was not the issue either, IMHO. As to your comments, for example, get your facts correct. As to the death penalty hearings and having victims families testify yet again and relive these terrible crimes, that was not the Governor’s choice or preference. The Governor did not insist on these hearings, the prosecutors did. And they got their way. Much has been made of the commutation decision, but little has also been said that support victims should be improved. It is easy for the state (or feds) to fuel the grief of victims and promote that for their own purposes, but healing and help for them is apparently never a priority. That was one of the Governor’s commissions concerns and something he advocated, but not really reported. I suppose as well that he was worried beyond even death penalty cases that innocent people were going to jail and their lives ruined. Nothing honorable there, of course, in that since he is so evil and contemptable.
Comment by annon too since its so easy Thursday, Mar 9, 06 @ 1:32 am