Madigan’s trial set for April 1, 2024
Monday, Jan 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jon Seidel…
The highly anticipated racketeering trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan has been set for April 1, 2024.
The trial, which is expected to last six or seven weeks, was scheduled during a brief status hearing in Madigan’s case on Monday before U.S. District Judge John Blakey.
It’s been nearly a year since a federal grand jury indicted Madigan and his longtime confidant, Michael McClain. The indictment was the result of a yearslong, aggressive public corruption investigation that also led to charges against former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, ex-ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and onetime City Club President Jay Doherty. […]
Meanwhile, McClain is set to go to trial in March, along with Pramaggiore, Hooker and Doherty. That lengthy trial before U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber will likely serve as a preview of Madigan’s trial, as it focuses on an alleged attempt by that group to sway the speaker which is also featured in Madigan’s indictment.
Madigan will likely turn 82 years old during his trial, if it’s held on time.
- Gruntled University Employee - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 1:39 pm:
April Fools Day, coincidence? I think not.
- Colin O'Scopy - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 1:58 pm:
If the McClain-Pramaggiore-Hooker-Doherty trial goes poorly for the “G”, meaning acquittals, it could take the air out of the Madigan case, which I think is the tougher case to prove out.
- Norseman - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 2:03 pm:
Thinking of an old ketchup commercial with a little ditty called “anticipation”.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 2:05 pm:
He seems pretty healthy though. It’s the drawback of eating all those apples.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 2:39 pm:
Justice delayed is justice denied.
Illinois deserves better than waiting a other 15 months for proceedings to even start.
- A theorist - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 3:54 pm:
“If it’s held on time” you know something we don’t Rich
- Sue - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 4:30 pm:
Not many federal judges are likely to impose a lengthy prison sentence on a defendant in his 80’s for a non- violent white collar crime. Delay has worked out extremely well for Madigan though waiting for the ultimate outcome must be a miserable way to spend one’s golden years
- Publius - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 4:32 pm:
Justice delayed is justice denied.
Illinois deserves better than waiting an other 15 months for proceedings to even start.”
Nah. A 7 week trial takes preparation. “Proceedings to start” have indeed started. Pretrial motions aren’t nearly as sexy as a trial, but it’s a far cry from “Justice denied”
They executed the shooter of Anton Cermak within a month of the crime. It’s that a timeline you’re Comfortable with?
- Payback - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 4:37 pm:
“Illinois deserves better than waiting a other 15 months for proceedings to even start.” Here in Illinois, we consider ourselves lucky that the federal government steps in at twenty to thirty year intervals to investigate or prosecute any politician or cop. Definitely our AG office isn’t doing anything (by design) so hoping the feds step in is all we can hope for.
For reference, see Al Capone, Jon Burge, Rod Blagoevich, George Ryan, etc.
- Manchester - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 6:43 pm:
One the one hand, the Feds do not get in a hurry to prosecute. On the other hand, they rarely prosecute unless they have a very high likelihood of winning. I doubt there will be jail time for Madigan if convicted due to his age.
- For the Sake of the Song - Monday, Jan 9, 23 @ 8:25 pm:
Jail time or not, memorializing that the former Speaker was running an organized crime syndicate under the Dome is meaningful.