Outfit Defendants Argue For New Trial

Friends of Ours ^ | 2/14/12 | Friends of Ours

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Lawyers for the five defendants convicted in the 2007 Family Secrets trial against the Chicago Outfit argued yesterday before a federal appeals court for a new trial as reported by Annie Sweeney for the Chicago Tribune:

The criminal-defense lawyers faulted U.S. District Judge James Zagel for failing to inform lawyers on both sides during the trial after a juror expressed concern about her safety. The lawyers only learned of the issue weeks later when Zagel excused the juror, the attorneys said.

Although U.S. Circuit Judge Diane Wood -- a liberal hack who is on President Obama's short list for the Supreme Court -- engaged in pointless hysterics over the manner in which Judge Zagel handled the matter, a more even-tempered Judge Richard Posner aptly noted that there was no prejudice to the defendants by the dismissal of the juror.

Incredibly, Judge Wood apparently wants to give mobsters a pass for their old murders. The jurist said it was "troubling to dredge up murders that occurred when most of the prosecutors were still in diapers" as reported by Chuck Goudie for WLS: "Then she asked 'What's next? Go after the murders of Al Capone?'"

The Family Secrets trial involved 18 murders.