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After deliberating for two weeks, a federal jury today convicted Rod Blagojevich of only one of the 24 counts against him -- lying to the FBI -- and announced it was deadlocked on the other 23 counts.
The jury also deadlocked on all four counts against the former governor's brother, Robert.
Speaking about the messy conclusion to an often explosive legal proceeding that captivated the nation, federal prosecutors wasted no time announcing plans to retry both men. "It is absolutely our intent to retry this," said Assistant U.S. Atty. Reid Schar. "We could be here tomorrow."
But a defiant Blagojevich insisted his innocence, and said he planned to appeal the conviction.
"The government threw everything but the kitchen sink at me, and on every charge but one they could not prove that I broke any laws except one, a nebulous charge from five years ago," he told a crush of reporters. "I did not lie to the FBI. I told the truth from the very beginning."
"We have a prosecutor who has wasted and wanted to spend tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to take me away from my family and my home," he continued.
Blagojevich's attorney, Sam Adam Jr. implored reporters to ask U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald one question: "Why are we spending $25 to $30 million on a retrial when they couldn't prove it the first time?"
Prosecutors, he said, "have to ask themselves, 'Is this worth it?' "
Read more: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/08/14th-day-for-blagojevich-jury.html
The jury also deadlocked on all four counts against the former governor's brother, Robert.
Speaking about the messy conclusion to an often explosive legal proceeding that captivated the nation, federal prosecutors wasted no time announcing plans to retry both men. "It is absolutely our intent to retry this," said Assistant U.S. Atty. Reid Schar. "We could be here tomorrow."
But a defiant Blagojevich insisted his innocence, and said he planned to appeal the conviction.
"The government threw everything but the kitchen sink at me, and on every charge but one they could not prove that I broke any laws except one, a nebulous charge from five years ago," he told a crush of reporters. "I did not lie to the FBI. I told the truth from the very beginning."
"We have a prosecutor who has wasted and wanted to spend tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to take me away from my family and my home," he continued.
Blagojevich's attorney, Sam Adam Jr. implored reporters to ask U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald one question: "Why are we spending $25 to $30 million on a retrial when they couldn't prove it the first time?"
Prosecutors, he said, "have to ask themselves, 'Is this worth it?' "
Read more: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/08/14th-day-for-blagojevich-jury.html
