Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
Posted on 08/17/2010 10:04:09 AM PDT by STARWISE
It appears the jury may be on the verge of announcing a verdict.
The six men and six women sent out a note this morning asking for two things -- first, a copy of the oath they took when they were seated, and second, instructions on how to fill out their verdict form if they can't reach a unanimous decision on a certain count.
Judge James Zagel is sending them a note in response.
He also ordered -- since "the tenor of the note" indicated that a verdict is imminent -- that the defendants, Rod and Robert Blagojevich, stay within a half-hour of the courthouse for the remainder of the week.
Sun Times courthouse reporter Natasha Korecki on Twitter.
Tick .. tick .. tick
~~ Tick tock ...
Why on Earth would they need a copy of that? - I don't even like the sound of that question.
Soon it will be: “Illinois the state with two former governors in prison.”
**ADDITIONAL INFO JUST ADDED TO THE ABOVE
__________________________________________
Inside the Rod Blagojevich investigation and related cases Blagojevich trial: Jury signals they are close to a verdict
By Sarah Ostman on August 17, 2010 11:42 AM Reporting with Natasha Korecki and Dave McKinney
###
It appears the jury may be on the verge of announcing a verdict.
The six men and six women sent out a note this morning asking for two things — first, a copy of the oath they took when they were seated, and second, instructions on how to fill out their verdict form if they can’t reach a unanimous decision on a certain count.
Zagel said he would provide the oath and offer directions on how to complete the forms.
The jury’s request for a copy of the oath could signal a new level of division within the group.
The prosecution pushed the judge to send additional instruction to the jury asking them to “make every effort to make a unanimous verdict” — but Zagel declined.
Instead, the judge said he would send a note stating,
“I remind you that in addition to the oath, you have my instructions, which must govern your deliberations and decisions.”
Zagel recognized that these questions show a verdict is near.
“Because the tenor of the note indicates there is at least a possibility a verdict may be returned this week, I’ve entered an order requiring the defendants to be no more than a half-hour journey to the courthouse,” the judge said.
Attorneys filed into Judge James Zagel’s courtroom at around 11:35, after beginning the hearing in a private room with the defendants on the phone.
The prosecutors appeared serious and dour; the defense team, on the other hand, appeared more jovial than usual. Rod Blagojevich’s attorney, Sam Adam Jr., was even spotted flashing a grin.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/blago/2010/08/blagojevich_trial_jury_signals.html
What the heck?
Illinois governors should just be fitted for an orange jumpsuit before they are sworn in. Just, y'know, in case...
like how the all judges for get to mentino jury nulification and the fact juries are not bound by judges.
UPDATE
~~~~~~~~~~
Defense attorney: Jurors’ tempers are frayed, expects to see a verdict this afternoon
By Sarah Ostman on August 17, 2010 12:22 PM
###
Michael Ettinger, attorney for Robert Blagojevich, said after court that he interpreted the latest communication with the jury as “all that’s left is to sign the jury forms.”
Ettinger said he expects the jury to return later today.
Asked about the jury requesting a copy of its oath, Ettinger said he expects “someone is going to be read that card and told they are violating their oath.”
He said he had never seen such a request and he took it as a sign of frayed tempers.
“They’ve gone as far as they can go,” he said.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/blago/2010/08/defense_attorney_jurors_temper.html
Frayed tempers!
LOL.
Bet they mean accusations of being “bribed.”
It’s the Chicago Way!
“Public corruption has been an unfortunate aspect of Illinois politics for a century and a half.
Even before Governor Blagojevich tried to sell the vacant senate seat to the highest bidder, the people of the state were exposed continuously to outrageous corruption scandals.
The state history of political corruption features Paul Powell, a former secretary of state, who died leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars hoarded in shoeboxes in his closet, 13 judges nabbed in Operation Greylord for fixing court cases, and a state auditor who embezzled more than $1.5 million in state funds and bought two planes, four cars, and two homes with the money.
Since 1972 there have been three governors before Governor Blagojevich, state legislators, two congressmen, 19 Cook County judges, 30 Aldermen, and other statewide officials convicted of corruption.1 Altogether there have been 1,000 public officials and businessmen convicted of public corruption since 1970.
The history of public corruption in Illinois goes as far back as 1860s when the state’s largest city, Chicago, was growing rapidly and with much disorder which provided ample opportunities for corruption.
This time period is characterized by several corruption cases in the city including a city council ring of aldermen on the take known as McCauley’s Nineteen, and county commissioners involved in a City Hall painting contract scandal.
Of the 14 aldermen and public official indicted in that scandal four were convicted and several others lost their reelection bids in the elections of 1871.”
http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/ChicagoPolitics/Anti-corruptionReport.pdf
“someone is going to be read that card and told they are violating their oath.”
I’m puzzled over what this means.
The judge is pressuring over unanimous verdicts. I wonder if this relates to a guilty or not guilty verdict.
I think it means someone’s verdict was either forced or someone is “going along to get along”
IOW = grounds for a mistrial.
It’s the Chicago Way.
AP President Barack Obama, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, walk toward the Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010, as Obama traveled to Chicago.
Lotsa junk in that trunk Val.
From site that cannot be posted, ONLY linked
(Paraphrasing the title)
Jury instructed by judge to NOT show the vote
tally on the disagreed counts
Curious ...
It’s all setting-up for a mistrial, but the judge seems aware of that — and it looks to me like the judge is out-smarting the lawyers and jury.
We’ll see....
It’s the Chicago Way.
Flashback
Elliot Ness ..errrr .. US Atty Patrick Fitzgerald’s
highly irregular and possibly judicially unethical
drama queen presser describing the Blago indictment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQa3LOEFq3E
Blago found guilty - Chicago news video with interesting connection tidbits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tjdEuVC1Pk
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