Blagojevich Juror Held Out on Senate Seat Sale

CBS/AP ^ | 8-17-10

[STARWISE]

A juror in the corruption trial of Rod Blagojevich says the panel was deadlocked 11-1 in favor of convicting the former Illinois governor of trying to sell or trade President Obama's former Senate seat.

Juror Erik Sarnello of Itasca, Ill., said a female holdout "just didn't see what we all saw." The 21-year-old Sarnello said the counts around the Senate seat were "the most obvious."

The jury convicted Blagojevich Tuesday of a lesser charge, lying to federal agents, but could not reach an agreement on the remaining 23 charges.

[STARWISE]

Hmmmm.....

And the young juror already leaking about another juror. Hmmm ...

[STARWISE]

** Ping!

[WHBates]

I don’t understand your point, I guess, a juror isn’t held to any kind of silence are they?

[onyx]

One juror - no wonder Fitz is going for the retrial and that one juror is likely already under some scrutiny.

Check the home deliveries to friends and relatives.

It’s the Chicago Way.

[Laserman]

Wait a year and see how the holdout gets rewarded.

[donozark]

Sounds like a bunch of dead-beat jurors. Welfare weasels, daytime TV viewers, and the generational unemployed. Or perhaps someone “got to” a couple of jurors?

[LostInBayport]

Juror Erik Sarnello of Itasca, Ill., said a female holdout "just didn't see what we all saw."

In other news, the White House announced today that Michelle Obama has hired a new personal assistant, a woman from her home city of Chicago. The position reportedly pays over six figures.

/s (maybe)

[traditional1]

"Wait a year and see how the holdout gets rewarded."

There will only be two possible outcomes for the "hold-out":

1) She gets a government job with the Chicago Machine

2) She has a mysterious fatal accident

[Red Steel]

One juror - no wonder Fitz is going for the retrial and that one juror is likely already under some scrutiny.

It could be two jurors next time.

[Farmer Dean]

Yea,dead in a single car accident.No witnesses.

[BenLurkin]

deadlocked 11-1

As we suspected.

[norton]

One question:

Blago was on trial but the major elements of prosecution evidence implicated dozens of others...so how come all those people are not on trial?

If I were the hold out juror I'd have been asking "where is the name Barry Sotero in the list of indictments" and "why am I only being asked if ONE of the conspiators is guilty"?

[maggief]

One hold-out juror ... one Chicagoan juror?

I’m lovin’ it!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

11 to ONE on a Chicago corruption trial.

Perhaps a jury tampering investigation is in order.

[hoosiermama]

Hit me while I was warming up supper....Both Revko and Blank-O are convicted felons who have yet to be sentenced....How much does that influence the courts?

OTOH That one jurist needs to be thoroughly looked into? Was she influenced by a “family member” with connections or threats against loved ones?

Witness protection programs should maybe be made available for jurist....

[justlurking]

Wait a year and see how the holdout gets rewarded.

In all fairness, the lone holdout may have been scared about what would have happened if she didn't hold out.

[GonzoGOP]

Sounds like a bunch of dead-beat jurors. Welfare weasels, daytime TV viewers, and the generational unemployed. Or perhaps someone “got to” a couple of jurors?

Read the story. 11-1 to convict. Not dead-beats, welffare weasels or daytime TV viewers. At least not in the plural. The "Got To" in this case must be considered. And the way things work here in Chicago I would say it was almost a certainty. But go after the one who voted for Blago not the eleven who voted to convict.

[WellyP]

Time for a Change of Venue!

[apocalypto]

My thought exactly.

[counterpunch]

This is good.
0bama was waist deep in the selling of his Senate seat.
Now we get a reairing of the facts in the heat of the 2010 elections, and perhaps this time the evidence of 0bama’s direct involvement in the deal will be permitted at trial.