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* The setup…
Maquez's lawyer says Marquez tried to buy the handgun at a pawn shop near his Tucson home because there were rattlesnakes "literally right at his front door."
He mistakenly "checked the wrong box" indicating he was not facing any criminal charges.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) April 5, 2024
* From Jason’s story…
While Marquez will not face any charges as a result of those lies, a federal judge in Chicago on Friday bluntly told Marquez he’s essentially “given a really beautiful piece of ammunition to Madigan’s lawyers.”
“The thing that you have is your credibility — that’s it,” U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland told Marquez during a brief status hearing. “And you have now handed a gift to Madigan’s defense attorneys. It is a first year law student’s dream, basically, to do a cross-examination like this.”
Rowland said it’s easy to see the points Madigan’s high-powered legal team will try to score: “‘So you lie to get what you want? You wanted a gun that day, and you said what you had to say to get that gun?’”
“That’s the seriousness of this,” Rowland said.
* Jon Seidel explains why this is important…
FBI agents convinced Marquez to cooperate in the Madigan investigation back in January 2019. He wore a wire and pleaded guilty to a bribery conspiracy in 2020. Then, last year, Marquez spent a week on the stand during the trial of four political insiders accused of scheming to bribe Madigan to benefit ComEd. […]
Defense attorneys in that trial aggressively attacked Marquez’s credibility, at one point even questioning him about money he’d allegedly tried to hide from his ex-wife in divorce proceedings.
“You’ve lied in the past to benefit yourself,” defense attorney Jacqueline Jacobson, representing Hooker, asked him in front of the jury.
Marquez is expected to return to the witness stand — and likely face another withering cross-examination — during Madigan’s trial, set for Oct. 8. A federal grand jury indicted Madigan on racketeering conspiracy charges in 2022.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:01 pm
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Sounds like the prosecutors and judge are in cahoots to take down whoever they have in their crosshair. The judge goes as far to basically imply that she will punish Marquez when he comes before her for sentencing because he messed up and it will help Madigans defense. I don’t know if this is normal but just seems strange to me.
Comment by salt burn Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:30 pm
Something tells me there will be more to come on this.
For example, it’s illegal to shoot rattlesnakes inside city limits in Arizona without a special permit.
Also, there’s about a dozen rattlesnake removal companies in Tuscon.
Also, the guy already has firearms.
I hope the prosecutors interviewed the pawn shop employees and went to the property to look for snakes themselves before letting him potentially perjure himself with this story.
Lying on the form is bad enough, but perjury would be the end.
Comment by Juvenal Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:42 pm
This is a common problem with all cooperating witnesses. As a general rule, they all have histories of being naughty and will get dragged through the mud on the stand. That’s just life in criminal prosecutions.
Comment by Homebody Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:57 pm
I think if I were a first year law student I’d still rather be the prosecution than trying to convince a jury that EVERYBODY is lying because this guy lied to buy that gun.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:04 pm
A shovel or rake would be better than a pistol.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:04 pm
Why aren’t the Feds charging him for the gun violation? Hunter Biden is being prosecuted (among other things,) for doing pretty much the same thing.
Comment by Roman Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:16 pm
I agree with Juvenal. Guy owns a $1.5 million home and goes to a pawn shop to buy power tools? Then decides he wants a handgun while he’s there?
Also, the Tribune story mentioned he has two long guns, one described as a rifle he uses for skeet shooting? Must be a heck of a shot if he’s using a rifle to shoot skeet. Or the reporter doesn’t know the difference between a rifle and a shotgun.
Finally, Arizona prosecutors decide not to file charges for a guy buying a gun illegally? No wonder there are so many guns in the wrong hands.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:21 pm
===owns a $1.5 million home and goes to a pawn shop===
OK, I get it, but maybe he’s in a bit of a cash crunch right now. Pawn shops are great places for stuff like that.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:26 pm
Maybe we could more detail on exactly what feds did to “convince”
Comment by Annonin' Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:29 pm
I ain’t buying it. After working all those years with Madigan and his people how can he still be afraid of snakes?
Comment by Henry Francis Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:45 pm
It’s the old, “blame the snakes” defense…SSSSSS.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 2:21 pm
The single most effective damning question?
Mr. Witness, turn toward the jury and say which of the statements you made were the truth…and which were lies.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 2:26 pm
Q. We’ve established the fact that you’ve lied in the past to benefit yourself…correct?
A. Well I didn’t mean…
Hostile witness…answer Yes or No…unhuh.
Comment by Dotnonymous Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 3:00 pm
thought judges were supposed to be impartial.
Comment by ANON Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 3:12 pm
Solis and Marquez are bad actors but that doesn’t nullify what was caught on tape and video. In the end that’s what will sway the jury.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 3:17 pm
Were the snakes at his door of the human variety?
Comment by Lincoln Lad Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 3:41 pm
Rattlesnakes & Alligators are why I live where the cold air hurts my face.
Comment by Anyone Remember Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 3:45 pm
…adds to movie script scene with snakes…. (No the real kind)
Comment by Amalia Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 4:14 pm