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Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jury tells judge they cannot agree on any counts in bribery trial of state Sen. Emil Jones III
CHICAGO — Deep into its fourth day of deliberations in the corruption trial of state Sen. Emil Jones III, the jury in the case has again told the judge they have reached an impasse, prompting the judge in the case to seek more information from the panel. 'The jury cannot come to a unanimous verdict on all three counts. no one is willing to surrender their honest beliefs,' the panel wrote to U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood. Wood earlier had told the panel to continue talking. After consulting with lawyers in the case, Wood sent the group a reply late Thursday asking whether they could agree on any of the three counts in the case. The reply from the jury was that they could not. She told the panel earlier in the day that a deadlock would be premature at this point in their talks, and to continue deliberating. The jury is faced with determining whether the South Side Democrat is guilty of bribery, use of an interstate facility to solicit bribery and lying to federal agents regarding his dealings with a red-light camera company executive over the summer of 2019. Prosecutors allege he promised the camera company's executive and undercover FBI operative, Omar Maani, assistance with a bill in Springfield in exchange for a $5,000 campaign donation and a part-time job for his former intern. The jury in its Wednesday note observed that count one states Jones agreed to accept a bribe and money for an associate, and inquired about whether they had to find both of those things to be true along with other criteria to convict him. 'It doesn't look like the jury can reach a unanimous agreement on counts one and three. Is there any assistance that can be provided,' the note read. They did not elaborate about what could be at the root of their apparent disagreement. Previously, the jury has sent notes asking about whether they should consider the crime of bribery to have been committed the moment an official agrees to a deal or whether that official's later actions should influence their decision. Wood on Thursday said she thought 'three days of deliberation for a trial of this length… is probably a reasonable point in time to inquire whether they were still making progress in their deliberations.' It was not immediately clear when she might ask the jury for more information on their progress. If the jury deadlocks or is unable to make a complete finding, it would not be the first recent example of such a result in a public corruption case in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan was not convicted of a racketeering conspiracy charge, among other counts, after a marathon trial earlier this year. Before that, a federal judge declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked 11-1 on charges alleging former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza bribed Madigan. Jones' trial, now well into its third week, doesn't have the blockbuster status of other recent trials with roots in the Illinois General Assembly like Madigan's or La Schiazza. But Jones is the first sitting state legislator to go before a jury in nearly a decade, and the first sitting politician to be tried in federal court since former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson was convicted of tax fraud in 2021. Jones' attorneys have argued that Jones was snared while trying to get a stubborn bill through the committee process and have focused on the fact Maani never made a payment to Jones. Prosecutors, however, have pointed out that Jones was noncommittal for years about legislation that was friendly to red-light cameras and changed his tune about a proposed study after a series of steak dinners and a pledge from Maani to find a job for Jones' old intern, Christopher Katz. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Ardam described Jones as 'jumping in' to strike an agreement with Maani and contended that he 'knew full well' that he was involved in something corrupt: 'That is why the defendant lied to the FBI when they came knocking at his door.' Jones, testifying in his own defense, said his taped responses of 'yeah, yeah,' and 'I got you, I got you' were actually his attempts to blow Maani off, whom he said reminded him of a 'used car salesman.' If the jury convicts him, Jones would be forced to resign under Illinois law and would almost certainly forfeit any future pension. The most serious charge carries up to 10 years in prison. Others would bring a five-year maximum term. _____
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge directs jury in bribery trial of state Sen. Emil Jones to continue deliberating, saying a split verdict is premature
A federal jury began its fourth day of deliberations Thursday after signaling a potential impasse on two of the charges in the corruption trial of state Sen. Emil Jones III. Late in the day on Wednesday, the jury sent a note to U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood signaling that they were unable to agree on counts of bribery and lying to the FBI. After consulting with lawyers in the case, Wood told the panel Thursday that a deadlock would be premature at this point in their talks, and to continue deliberating. The jury also indicated that they would take Friday off from deliberations or leave early due to scheduling conflicts, if they do not conclude their work by then. The panel is faced with determining whether the South Side Democrat is guilty of bribery, use of an interstate facility to solicit bribery and lying to federal agents regarding his dealings with a red-light camera company executive over the summer of 2019. Prosecutors allege he promised the camera company's executive and undercover FBI operative, Omar Maani, assistance with a bill in Springfield in exchange for a $5,000 campaign donation and a part-time job for his former intern. The jury in its Wednesday note observed that count one states Jones agreed to accept a bribe and money for an associate, and inquired about whether they had to find both of those things to be true along with other criteria to convict him. 'It doesn't look like the jury can reach a unanimous agreement on counts one and three. Is there any assistance that can be provided,' the note read. They did not elaborate about what could be at the root of their apparent disagreement. Previously, the jury has sent notes asking about whether they should consider the crime of bribery to have been committed the moment an official agrees to a deal or whether that official's later actions should influence their decision. Wood on Thursday said she thought 'three days of deliberation for a trial of this length… is probably a reasonable point in time to inquire whether they were still making progress in their deliberations.' It was not immediately clear when she might ask the jury for more information on their progress. If the jury deadlocks or is unable to make a complete finding, it would not be the first recent example of such a result in a public corruption case in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan was not convicted of a racketeering conspiracy charge, among other counts, after a marathon trial earlier this year. Before that, a federal judge declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked 11-1 on charges alleging former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza bribed Madigan. Jones' trial, now well into its third week, doesn't have the blockbuster status of other recent trials with roots in the Illinois General Assembly like Madigan's or La Schiazza. But Jones is the first sitting state legislator to go before a jury in nearly a decade, and the first sitting politician to be tried in federal court since former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson was convicted of tax fraud in 2021. Jones' attorneys have argued that Jones was snared while trying to get a stubborn bill through the committee process and have focused on the fact Maani never made a payment to Jones. Prosecutors, however, have pointed out that Jones was noncommittal for years about legislation that was friendly to red-light cameras and changed his tune about a proposed study after a series of steak dinners and a pledge from Maani to find a job for Jones' old intern, Christopher Katz. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Ardam described Jones as 'jumping in' to strike an agreement with Maani and contended that he 'knew full well' that he was involved in something corrupt: 'That is why the defendant lied to the FBI when they came knocking at his door.' Jones, testifying in his own defense, said his taped responses of 'yeah, yeah,' and 'I got you, I got you' were actually his attempts to blow Maani off, whom he said reminded him of a 'used car salesman.' If the jury convicts him, Jones would be forced to resign under Illinois law and would almost certainly forfeit any future pension. The most serious charge carries up to 10 years in prison. Others would bring a five-year maximum term.
Chicago Tribune
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Judge directs jury in bribery trial of state Sen. Emil Jones to continue deliberating, saying a split verdict is premature
A federal jury began its fourth day of deliberations Thursday after signaling a potential impasse on two of the charges in the corruption trial of state Sen. Emil Jones III. Late in the day on Wednesday, the jury sent a note to U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood signaling that they were unable to agree on counts of bribery and lying to the FBI. After consulting with lawyers in the case, Wood told the panel Thursday that a deadlock would be premature at this point in their talks, and to continue deliberating. The jury also indicated that they would take Friday off from deliberations or leave early due to scheduling conflicts, if they do not conclude their work by then. The panel is faced with determining whether the South Side Democrat is guilty of bribery, use of an interstate facility to solicit bribery and lying to federal agents regarding his dealings with a red-light camera company executive over the summer of 2019. Prosecutors allege he promised the camera company's executive and undercover FBI operative, Omar Maani, assistance with a bill in Springfield in exchange for a $5,000 campaign donation and a part-time job for his former intern. The jury in its Wednesday note observed that count one states Jones agreed to accept a bribe and money for an associate, and inquired about whether they had to find both of those things to be true along with other criteria to convict him. 'It doesn't look like the jury can reach a unanimous agreement on counts one and three. Is there any assistance that can be provided,' the note read. They did not elaborate about what could be at the root of their apparent disagreement. Previously, the jury has sent notes asking about whether they should consider the crime of bribery to have been committed the moment an official agrees to a deal or whether that official's later actions should influence their decision. Wood on Thursday said she thought 'three days of deliberation for a trial of this length… is probably a reasonable point in time to inquire whether they were still making progress in their deliberations.' It was not immediately clear when she might ask the jury for more information on their progress. If the jury deadlocks or is unable to make a complete finding, it would not be the first recent example of such a result in a public corruption case in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan was not convicted of a racketeering conspiracy charge, among other counts, after a marathon trial earlier this year. Before that, a federal judge declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked 11-1 on charges alleging former AT&T Illinois boss Paul La Schiazza bribed Madigan. Jones' trial, now well into its third week, doesn't have the blockbuster status of other recent trials with roots in the Illinois General Assembly like Madigan's or La Schiazza. But Jones is the first sitting state legislator to go before a jury in nearly a decade, and the first sitting politician to be tried in federal court since former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson was convicted of tax fraud in 2021. Jones' attorneys have argued that Jones was snared while trying to get a stubborn bill through the committee process and have focused on the fact Maani never made a payment to Jones. Prosecutors, however, have pointed out that Jones was noncommittal for years about legislation that was friendly to red-light cameras and changed his tune about a proposed study after a series of steak dinners and a pledge from Maani to find a job for Jones' old intern, Christopher Katz. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Ardam described Jones as 'jumping in' to strike an agreement with Maani and contended that he 'knew full well' that he was involved in something corrupt: 'That is why the defendant lied to the FBI when they came knocking at his door.' Jones, testifying in his own defense, said his taped responses of 'yeah, yeah,' and 'I got you, I got you' were actually his attempts to blow Maani off, whom he said reminded him of a 'used car salesman.' If the jury convicts him, Jones would be forced to resign under Illinois law and would almost certainly forfeit any future pension. The most serious charge carries up to 10 years in prison. Others would bring a five-year maximum term.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Madigan jurors give insight into deliberations that led to ‘historic' conviction
CHICAGO (WGN) – Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, a leader in Illinois politics for more than 50 years, walked out of federal court on Wednesday a convicted felon after being found guilty on corruption charges. After 11 days of deliberations, the jury in the trial of Madigan, 82, and longtime political confidant Michael McClain, 77, reached a split verdict. Madigan was convicted on 10 of 23 counts, including bribery, bribery conspiracy, and wire fraud. He was found not guilty on seven counts, and a jury was deadlocked on the remaining six counts, faced by both Madigan and McClain, which were declared a mistrial by agreement. Prosecutors have not said whether they intend to retry Madigan or McClain on the six deadlocked counts. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan found guilty on 10 counts; jury deadlocked on others Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual called it a 'historic conviction,' ranking high among the public corruption cases tried in federal court in Chicago. The jury of eight women and four men heard over 150 secret recordings, testimony from close to 60 witnesses, and arguments laid out by the government and defense teams for both men. In their deliberations, they were led by the 46-year-old foreman, a South Side native and longtime resident of the Beverly neighborhood, Tim Nessner. Nessner, an insurance underwriter, father, and husband, who describes himself as a 'proud Chicagoan,' said the jury was extremely diligent in its deliberations as it combed through a 'mountain of evidence.' They went on a count-by-count basis and allowed the over 100 pages of instructions to guide them in their decision-making process. 'It got to a point where we had debated it over and over again. We broke for the day on Tuesday, and we came back with fresh eyes on Wednesday. I reminded everyone of the presumption of innocence and the guilt beyond reasonable doubt,' Nessner said. 'We went around the room again. It was clear to everyone that the two dissenting votes would not be swayed, and for that reason we knew we were at an impasse, and it had to end at that point.' Nessner said there were two holdouts on the final count in the indictment, a conspiracy charge involving an alleged no-work contract arranged through AT&T Illinois for a Madigan ally in exchange for support on key legislation, and one holdout on five other charges, including the overarching racketeering conspiracy charge. Prosecutors had argued Madigan ran his political operation like a criminal enterprise. Jurors were unable to come to an agreement on that count, with 11 voting in favor of acquittal. 'That first count is actually the one we saved for last because we knew it would be all-encompassing, and we knew that we would be discovering evidence all along as we deliberated each count,' Nessner said. Jurors who spoke with WGN said it was not lost on them the responsibility that came with serving, including the fact that they held someone's future in their hands. 'We didn't allow it to come into play when determining a verdict, but it was something that was at the very forefront of our minds,' Nessner said. 'We understood the gravity of what we were doing.' Juror No. 36, who wished only to be identified as Natalie, echoed a similar sentiment. 'When I found out that I was actually picked, I was very nervous, I didn't know what to expect. All I thought was, 'I can't believe I have to help make a decision that could alter someone's life,'' Natalie said. As the group got into the routine of reporting to court, listening to evidence and testimony, and taking vigorous notes, Natalie said those thoughts began to dissipate. 'Somebody knows something': Elgin Police Department launches podcast aimed at solving cold cases The 23-year-old first-born American citizen, first-generation student, and college graduate said she was surprised she was selected to serve given where she lives. For close to four days each week, Natalie took the train about an hour and a half each way from her home near the Illinois-Wisconsin border. Natalie said, some days, the amount of evidence was enough to make her head feel like it was going to explode. She jokes that she had the most notebooks of all jurors and ended with about 10 filled from front to back when all said and done. 'I didn't know what information I would need to help during deliberations, so I just wrote everything down,' Natalie said. When it came down to deliberations, she said 'time was absent' in the room where jurors spent close to 60 hours combing through evidence and talking out the case. They were focused on making sure they understood the laws and applying those to the facts to help them reach their verdict. 'It was very emotional. I remember when we first came to agreement for our first guilty verdict there was silence in the room, and it just felt so unreal – so real,' Natalie said. 'It really just gave us a reality check. We're like, 'woah, this isn't just going over what we have heard for the last few months, but this is real life now.' It was a really sobering moment.' Natalie said it all came into an even clearer perspective when they returned to the courtroom on Wednesday afternoon as Madigan, McClain, and their families awaited their fate. 'I know that we did what we did for a reason. We followed the judge's instructions and the law to the best of our abilities. Although it came to an ugly outcome, it's just the way that it turned out. There wasn't anything we could do to change the situation. I know a lot of jurors felt similar,' Natalie said. Judge Blakey praised the jury for being one of the best he has experienced in his years on the bench. Madigan juror recounts deliberation process following verdict: 'It was kind of emotional' Jurors echoed their gratitude for the judge, the prosecutors and defense teams in being thorough in what they provided, and for each other – many whom they now consider lifelong friends. Madigan, who was known for operating off-the-books, steering clear of the press, and rarely having a cellphone, sent shockwaves with his choice to testify in his own defense. His co-defendant declined to take the stand. Juror No. 50, a 32-year-old woman who wished only to be identified as Danielle, said she appreciated hearing from Madigan on the stand. 'It seems like he was a down-to-earth character who cared greatly about the people he was around, and several of the witnesses said how much he had done for them,' Danielle said. 'So, you see both sides to each story.' Nessner also had some thoughts about the ex-Speaker's testimony. 'To the degree that Mr. Madigan tried to separate himself from his co-defendant led a couple of the jurors to believe that he may have been lying about some other things that he testified about on the stand. For me, I think it was a little bit of both,' Nessner said. 'I don't think there was an absolute lynchpin in his testimony that said it was absolutely damming, there was nothing in there that said he was absolutely innocent, so him actually taking the stand did not have a massive effect on any persuasion of mine.' Madigan could face prison time on the counts he was convicted on, though his age will likely be a factor in sentencing decisions, experts said. TikTok returns to Apple, Google app stores amid Trump ban delay 'It's the most significant public corruption case in my lifetime, just because of its breadth. I mean this guy ran the state for 40 years and had been down in Springfield for 50,' said Pat Brady. 'He was the last of the power bosses in the country and he ran this state with an iron fist, and it turns out he ran corruptly like a lot of us had been saying for a long time.' Brady, the former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party and a former federal prosecutor, said given the broad scope of the indictment, he is not surprised there were some split verdicts. He calls what Madigan was convicted on 'significant' and praised the jury for their diligent work. 'He'll report to the parole office and have his presentencing investigation done. There will be motions. I imagine it will be a pretty vigorous sentencing hearing, then he'll be sentenced, and then the big question for me is, if he's sentenced does he get a bond pending appeal,' said Brady. According to court records, the government must file its motion for forfeiture by March 14. A hearing on post-trial motions, including the forfeiture bench trial, is set for May 5. In a filing last month, prosecutors indicated they would seek approximately $3.24 million in forfeiture if Madigan were convicted. It is not clear whether that number could change given the counts Madigan was found guilty on. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Madigan jury to return for 11th day of deliberations
Jurors in the marathon trial of ex-speaker Michael Madigan were to return Wednesday to 'start fresh,' in their words, after ending deliberations early on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday marks their 11th day of deliberating, and they have been remarkably quiet for most of it. Their most recent note to the judge, sent up at about 3 p.m. Tuesday, said merely 'We have reached our limit for today. We would like to leave early and start fresh in the morning.' U.S. District John Robert Blakey granted their request. Besides that note, the jury, which began deliberating on the afternoon of Jan. 29, was silent all day, sending no other questions on the law or notes signaling where they were in their discussions. Their last substantive communication came on Friday, when they sent the judge a question delving deep into the legal weeds on what can be considered a 'thing of value.' They also asked for two binders full of wiretap transcripts. As of Tuesday afternoon they had deliberated for roughly 63 hours — one of the longest deliberations in any major federal public corruption trial in the past two decades. The jury in the case against former Gov. George Ryan reached a guilty verdict after 10 days of deliberations in 2006, while ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted at his 2011 retrial on the 11th day. The jury in the 'ComEd Four' bribery case, which featured evidence that overlapped significantly with some of the evidence in the Madigan trial, reached a verdict after about 27 hours. And jurors in the racketeering trial of former Ald. Ed Burke found him guilty in about 23 hours. Madigan, 82, of Chicago's Southwest Side, was for decades the most powerful man in Illinois politics, reigning over the state Democratic Party and setting a national record for longest-serving speaker of a state house. He is charged in a racketeering indictment that accused him of running his political and government operations like a criminal enterprise. McClain, 77, is a retired lobbyist from downstate Quincy. Jurors have to consider 23 counts against Madigan alleging an array of schemes to enrich his political allies and line his pockets. McClain is charged in six of those counts. In addition to alleging plans to pressure developers into hiring Madigan's law firm, the indictment accuses Madigan and McClain of bribery schemes involving ComEd and AT&T Illinois, where the utilities allegedly funneled payments through do-nothing subcontracts to a handful of the speaker's closest allies. To assist their deliberations, jurors have about 100 pages of legal instructions, dozens of undercover recordings, and hundreds of emails, texts and other documents entered into evidence.
