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* Jason Meisner at the Tribune…
A federal jury in the bribery trial of former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza, accused of funneling payments to an ally of Michael Madigan to win the speaker’s support for legislation in Springfield, has told the judge overseeing the case they may be deadlocked.
“What happens if we feel we are at a stalemate and feel that it won’t change?” a note sent out by the jury early Thursday said, according to U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman.
Gettleman said he would tell the panel to keep at it.
“But I don’t see keeping them beyond today” before declaring a mistrial, Gettleman told lawyers in court. The judge is leaving town and won’t be back until Tuesday.
* More…
Judge: "I want you to take those words and go back to the jury room and keep working on this. We can get back together this afternoon and determine whether or not you can do that. I know that it's a difficult decision, but it's important that you give it another try."
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) September 19, 2024
The jury was brought in, and the judge re-read them the instruction below. He also told them, "keep working on this and let me know if you're able to reach a verdict … we can get back together this afternoon." pic.twitter.com/8EyTVVs1jk
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) September 19, 2024
* Jon Seidel…
Prosecutors say La Schiazza bribed Madigan by paying $22,500 to former state Rep. Edward “Eddie” Acevedo in 2017, just as AT&T sought a legislative victory that had eluded it for years. The feds say Madigan wanted to help Acevedo because of the increasing Latino population in Madigan’s district.
“Madigan wanted to help Eddie Acevedo so that Eddie Acevedo could help Madigan,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sushma Raju alleged in her closing argument.
Defense attorneys stressed the lack of evidence proving that AT&T paid Acevedo in exchange for Madigan’s help with the bill.
Jurors seemed to quickly focus on that question earlier in their deliberations. They sent a note to the judge Wednesday morning asking whether the law requires proof of such an exchange.
Follow along in real time by clicking here.
…Adding… Yikes…
Judge Gettleman is back on the bench and reads the note:
“We believe there’s no possibility of coming to a unanimous verdict,”
Judge says they could hear by volume of conversations coming through the door, “they were really trying hard” https://t.co/Fs7LDS7Ke2— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) September 19, 2024
Judge Gettleman says "it's a disappointment for everyone."
AUSA Tim Chapman counters that "they're clearly deadlocked," but he says it's also possibility they're "unaware of their ability to return a partial verdict."
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) September 19, 2024
Sounds like the judge wants to bring the foreperson out to confirm the deadlock. If she confirms it, he says he would have to declare a mistrial.
"It's nothing I want to do," he said.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) September 19, 2024
Judge says he’s going to ask the foreperson in open court if they’re deadlocked on all counts or just some.
If she were to say no, they can go back.
“If she says yes, which is what her note implies, I would have to declare a mistrial. It’s not something I want to, believe me.”— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) September 19, 2024
…Adding… Over…
And the judge asks about "any" counts.
"Correct," she tells him.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) September 19, 2024
"I am then going to discharge the jury," Judge Gettleman says.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) September 19, 2024
///BREAKING/// The jury has hung in the trial of former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza. Mistrial declared.
This comes three weeks before the man La Schiazza was accused of bribing, Speaker Michael Madigan, goes on trial pic.twitter.com/7FoLKMRDxP— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) September 19, 2024
…Adding… Tribune…
The judge overseeing the bribery trial of former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza, accused of funneling payments to an ally of Michael Madigan to win the speaker’s support, has declared a mistrial in the case.
U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman announced his decision Thursday afternoon, a few hours after the jury had communicated to the court that they appeared to be deadlocked.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 11:14 am
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=== The feds say Madigan wanted to help Acevedo because of the increasing Latino population in Madigan’s district. ===
=== “Madigan wanted to help Eddie Acevedo so that Eddie Acevedo could help Madigan,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sushma Raju alleged in her closing argument. ===
That makes no sense. Madigan needed Eddie Acevedo to help him in his district? Nobody who knows anything about the 13th Ward or State politics would believe that.
Comment by Barrister's Lectern Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 11:28 am
This case was an overeach. Madiigan created a culture of corruption for decades and he has been fairly charged and will be convicted. Same with the COM ED 4. But this one was a stretch. And anybody that’s ever worked in Springfielld understands the utter nonsense of the Madiagn regime. A horrible chapter in illinois politics.
Comment by Chicago guy Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 11:34 am
Looks to me like if LA Shiazza walks….(and it’s a weak case)…..Madigan’s Attorneys have the upper hand with their case. Speaker probably walks too.
Comment by Ryder Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 12:00 pm
Might be hard to convince a jury to convict someone of bribery when that someone doesn’t put money directly into his pocket — particularly when that someone is not an elected official.
Comment by TNR Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 12:06 pm
@Barrister’s Lectern
Yeah, I don’t think Speaker Madigan needed any outside help with his own district. The man literally wrote the playbook on how to work your district!
Comment by hmmm Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 12:10 pm
=== I don’t think Speaker Madigan needed any outside help with his own district===
Two words: Chuy Garcia.
On the other hand, Chuy backed an opponent against Acevedo’s son.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 12:14 pm
40 years is a “chapter”???
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 12:21 pm
Madigan was helping Acevedo get started in lobbying. The same way he helped other legislators and staff who left the House. It was indeed an overreach.
Comment by Henry Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 12:23 pm
Two words: Chuy Garcia.
The thing with Chuy was more of a defensive move rather than a true combination of forces. If Chuy decided to make a move in the Ward, there would have been a proverbial bloodbath, but Madigan still would have prevailed. He would have had to expend a lot of resources to do it though.
Comment by Barrister's Lectern Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 12:53 pm
Maybe MJM was helping Acevedo so much because he decided to retire instead of going against Theresa Mah who is a Chuy Garcia endorsed representative. Which helped the alliance between MJM and Chuy continue. Acevedo and Chuy have been enemies since the HDO days. …https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/killing-them-with-kindness/
Comment by sox11 Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 2:00 pm
==And anybody that’s ever worked in Springfielld understands the utter nonsense of the Madiagn regime. A horrible chapter in illinois politics.==
Two words: Paul Powell.
Comment by low level Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 2:17 pm
Madigan was friendly with both the HDO Hispanics and the Chuy hispanics. He wasn’t scared of either faction.
Comment by Mr Ed Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 2:46 pm
MJM must be a happy camper with this hung jury. He may receive the same tunes..
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 2:55 pm
It will be interesting to see how the USAO decides to proceed. Do they retry this case?
Comment by Barrister's Lectern Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 2:57 pm
Vheckmat
Never bet against the Speaker…..Almost Checkmate.
Comment by Ryder Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 3:22 pm
IMHO opinion, absolutely try them all again.
Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 3:26 pm
Retrial will depend on Madigan outcome/ if Madigan is convicted it is unlikely Feds will waste their time on the former CEO of ATT- he will skate
Comment by Sue Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 3:34 pm
It appears that the Feds, representing the “people” , have a broader interpretation of the concept of bribery, than many of the people themselves.
Comment by walker Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 3:53 pm
==Madigan was friendly with both the HDO Hispanics and the Chuy hispanics. He wasn’t scared of either faction==
Love him or hate him, the man was brilliant.
Comment by low level Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 5:51 pm
So, where do all these individuals go to get their reputation back? Shame on the US Attorneys’ Office.
Comment by ;) Thursday, Sep 19, 24 @ 10:43 pm