Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Rezko watch…

Posted in:

Illinois

* 2:21 pm - From the US Attorney’s office…

Forwarding from the Court:

We have received a note from the jury. The judge will address the note as soon as the lawyers arrive. Thanks.

Not sure if they spilled coffee again or want to go home early or what, but we’ll be watching.

* 2:45 pm - [Kevin Fanning] The jurors are near a verdict, and returned a note to the judge stating:

“we cannot decide on one count.” St. Eve brought in the panel and gave them an instruction required by law, which essentially says that they must go back and keep trying. “Discuss your differences with an open mind,” St. Eve said. “You are impartial judges of the facts.”

The jury has returned to their closed-door deliberations.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:13 pm

Comments

My guesses

- They have verdicts and they are all or almost all guilty

or

- They lost the verdict form, it was accidentally tossed out with the wrappers from Burger King.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:41 pm
My guess — no verdict. Either a juror has another issue, or they will claim to be “hung.”
With a verdict, they usually let anyone know.

Comment by Skeeter Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:43 pm
With this jury, I am guessing that they need to leave early because someone has a hair appointment they must keep.

Comment by Napoleon has left the building Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:44 pm
This just in… They have one verdict they can’t decide on. http://blogs.suntimes.com/rezko/

Comment by verdict Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:46 pm
I meant one count they can’t decide on

Comment by verdict Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:47 pm
donw to just one count…. depending on how firm are the oppinions this could mean they are still days away from a conclusion.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:50 pm
Less filling! Tastes Great! Less filing! Tastes Great!

Comment by What planet is he from again? Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:58 pm
Is anyone familiar enough with the numerous counts to know if one differs from the rest significantly?

Comment by Anon Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 2:59 pm
Any Attorney’s guess on the verdict of the other counts? Since they really have NOT been in that long, is it better for the Feds or Mr. Rezko?

Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:01 pm
Ghost, I doubt it. I think the jury was asking the judge to let them off the hook on the last count and she said no dice. I suspect there’s a prevailing direction on all the other counts and that is how the last one will go sooner rather than later.

The weather’s getting nice, you know.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:01 pm
I think the jury will find him guilty on some counts, not guilty on others. If that happens, query for the feds: cut a deal with him to get Blago? Or can they prosecute Blago without Rezko’s testimony.

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:08 pm
I just looked at the counts again. It would seem pretty easy that if he is found guilty on one, they would all fall into line and vise versa.

Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:17 pm
Often a jury will just acquit on such an odd count, if they have guilty verdicts on at least one other count, just to get it done. Bad news for Rezko, unless this now takes a long time to close out this one count, which would mean that they’ve acquitted him on all the others, and some are holding out for one guilty verdict. My bet: Bad news for Rezko.

Comment by Legal Eagle Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:22 pm
Guessing, obviously: They’ve basically found him not guilty. However, they don’t want to let him off scot-free. So, they’re trying to figure out the best way to hang him with just one count. Maybe.

Comment by Cheswick Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:22 pm
Is it reasonable that a jury would say “guilty” on 23 counts, and then agonize over the 24th? Seems strange to me.

Comment by Greg Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:24 pm
I think it is Count 13: A phone call between Levine and his business partner, Robert Weinstein, about how fees would be split.

Comment by Just Because Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:38 pm
Word if I was taking bets I tend to agree. Odds are there are only one or two folks who disagree on the last count, and as they approach the end of this process they will reach some sort of compromise which follows the tredn of thier other decisions.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:48 pm
Jurors take their responsibity seriously. They likely have reviewed the counts in an organized fashion. Being undecided about one suggests careful deliberation, but not much else by itself. One thing to possibly speculate about: the jury may have decided to ask the judge about “getting off the hook” on just one count if they thought it somehow was not wholly dispositive…which would mean a guilty decision on at least one count (but even guessing at all violates the prudent rule not to waste time guessing).

Comment by Anon Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 3:56 pm
And so one more wooden block is about to be pulled from the game of “Jenga” that is this Administration. Between Rezko and the budget mess, this will be a bad week to be Blago.

Comment by Unbalanced, indeed Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:01 pm
Whoa. Interesting timing. Madigan controls the House, the Supreme Court, all of the constitutional offices and part of the Senate. Is it possible he also controls the Rezko jury?
Calm down, it’s a joke.

Comment by Truth Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:16 pm
Yeah but a busy week for Rich…. where to Rich? Springfield or Chicago?

Comment by North of I-80 Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:18 pm
What ever the verdict is, it will be on to Las Vegas, NV.

Comment by Wacker Drive Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:25 pm
Truth,
Stop being ridiculous. Madigan doesn’t control all that.

According to the GOP blogger on Illinoize, THE COMBINE controls all that.

How the Combine got its greedy little paws [GOP should help me out on this — does The Combine have paws, hands, or fins?] on the jury, only time will tell.

All I can say about this matter is that it is Very Very Very Very Sad. I realize that it is ridiculous for grown man to say “Very Very Very Very”, but in this case, it sure seems appropriate.

Comment by Skeeter Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:28 pm
Skeeter- perhaps a Combine has blades? The suspense is driving me nuts on the Rezko verdict, but they should do their job right, so I shan’t complain.

Comment by Leigh Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:32 pm
Jury’s gone for the day. Someone had to get their nails done.

Comment by verdict Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:43 pm
Leigh,

Are you suggesting that there is more than one Combine? Not to be argumentative, but I’m not buying that. According to Kass and GOP, it is “The” Combine, and not “A” Combine.

Let’s just hope that it hasn’t reproduced. We have it tough enough with one Combine. If there was more than one, Combine Kass would lose his mind.

That being said — I’m not ruling out your blades theory. It would explain how The Combine seemingly is everywhere.

I can’t wait to check Illinoize on Tuesday (or page two of the Tribune). Hopefully, GOP or Kass will have the answers!

Comment by Skeeter Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:45 pm
What did Rezko have to lose in all this? He was bankrupt, owed money in Las Vegas, passing bad chacks- why not go to trial? The smart thing is to do what the others have done: either work with the feds or avoid going to trial all together. They can’t find you guilty if you don’t go to trial.

Comment by GofGlenview Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 4:52 pm
A Combine does indeed have blades. They are usually referred to as “Rotary Knives”.
Now, this does not necessarily mean that you need to be in the Rotary Club to be in the Combine.

http://www.deere.com/en_US/parts/partsinfo/combines/combine_row_crop_heads.html

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 5:01 pm
I am a Rotarian and quite proud to be, please let us not confuse “the combine” with a peace loving, service above self organization!!!

Comment by Leigh Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 5:16 pm
Leigh,

Then you’ll appreciate this take on your song.

“C-O-M-B-I-N-E,
that spells Combine.
C-O-M-B-I-N-E,
is one big family.
From north to south,
and east to west,
He profits most who scams the best,
C-O-M-B-I-N-E,
that spells Combine.”

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 5:44 pm
http://blogs.suntimes.com/rezko/

Gone for the day at 4:35 PM

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 5:55 pm
Rich, how about some Bo Diddley?

Comment by steve schnorf Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 7:04 pm
My guess is that a short stretch of deliberation is not a good sign for Mr. Rezko. The cynic in me says that they’re only asking a question on one count as a token gesture to show the world that they are paying attention and not rushing out the door in summer lust. The optimist in me thinks they may be paying attention to detail, that they have taken their time to check off every element on every charge, and stuck on a very few. I’ll have to give it to the Feds if they pull this one off, but I’m tending to think it’s so.

Comment by Quizzical Monday, Jun 2, 08 @ 11:58 pm
Very Very Very Very Very Sad.
Skeeter Headline:
By failing to resolve claws/hands/fins/blades debate, GOP Dierson/GOP promotes Combine.

And back to the issue: My prediction is that there will NOT be a verdict today.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 9:21 am