Eye on Rezko

Jury done for the day

Fri, 16 May 2008 13:12:40 -0600

Tony Rezko's jurors have left for the day.

They're expected to return Monday.

Blago memo: Turn over Rezko evidence

Fri, 16 May 2008 12:59:07 -0600

The Bloomington Pantagraph reports that one month before Tony Rezko's trial started a note went out to senior aides telling them to preserve evidence tied to certain people. They include Chris Kelly, William Cellini, Robert Kjellander, David Wilhelm and Rezko, among others.
The Pantagraph quotes an office memo sent out to senior aides to Gov. Blagojevich as stating:
“If you find any documents or information relating to these individuals, you must notify the Office of the General Counsel in accordance with the directions set out below,” wrote William Quinlan, the governor’s senior legal adviser.

The law the jury must follow

Fri, 16 May 2008 12:48:58 -0600

No, jurors in the Tony Rezko trial couldn't bring back transcripts with them into the jury room.

But besides their notes and "collective recollection" jurors have a specific set of guidelines the judge ordered them to follow.

Here they are: jury instructions

Rezko trial: Jurors have case, day two

Fri, 16 May 2008 09:30:26 -0600

Jurors are all back this morning to continue deliberations.

They're expected to work until 1 p.m.

Jury done for the day

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:40:18 -0600

The jurors in Tony Rezko's trial have gone home for the day, following their full first day of deliberations.

They return tomorrow for a half-day of closed-door talks.

Rezko trial: First jury question

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:51:51 -0600

The 12 jurors in Tony Rezko's trial just sent a note to Judge Amy St. Eve asking if she could give them a transcript of testimony from witness Michael Winter. Winter's testimony is relevant to the first count in the indictment -- though it is a lengthy count involving a complex scheme.

Rezko trial: Finally, the real indictment

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:47:55 -0600

After two years, the real Tony Rezko indictment -- without all the cloak and dagger of "Individual I" or "Firm A" references -- is made public.

In a pretty unusual move, prosecutors kept secret the individuals represented in the indictment right up through Rezko's corruption trial.

All of the allegations came out in court, so this isn't anything new. But this is the first time prosecutors put it in black and white for all the public to see. The Sun-Times before the trial did its own ABCs of the government proffer, because that too was written in code.

Here's the real indictment:
Rezko indictment

Rezko trial: Jury's deliberating

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:38:34 -0600

The jury is all here this morning to start its first full day of deliberations.

Rezko calling

Thu, 15 May 2008 07:15:52 -0600

Tony Rezko was smart enough not to do business on the phone, several people testified at his trial.
Still, prosecutors found some interesting connections after examining his phone records.

Who called Rezko the most? Who did Rezko call most often? Read more in today's Watchdogs

Rezko trial: Feds hit back

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:16:31 -0600

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Niewoehner hit Tony Rezko hard in the closing moments of Rezko's corruption trial, telling jurors Rezko was part of a "corrupt ring of insiders."
Read today's summary: Feds hit back as case goes to jury

There's no trial today because a juror had a previous conflict. Tomorrow, jurors meet for their first full day of deliberations.

Female-dominated, racially diverse jury

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:15:29 -0600

The 12 jurors making up the permanent panel to deliberate in Tony Rezko's trial include 10 women and just two men. There's also six whites and six blacks on the jury.

Three men were dismissed today, including two city workers and one state worker.

Four juror alternates dismissed -- including sleeper

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:44:35 -0600

After sitting in trial for nearly 40 days, four jurors were told they would not be able to deliberate.
The three men and one woman were "randomly" chosen as alternates, U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve told them and today went home instead of back to the deliberation room with the 12 chosen jurors.
One of the men, who in jury selection said he worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation, looked flushed and shook his head as St. Eve said she knew they were disappointed.

One of the four dismissed was a man I've previously written about who consistently nodded off, including during closing arguments and jury instructions.

Rezko trial: Jury's gone, returns Thursday

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:38:47 -0600

The 12 final jurors today chose a foreperson and went home for the day.

Wednesday is an already scheduled day off, so they return Thursday for their first full day of deliberation.

Jurors told the judge in a note today that they will keep their regular schedule of 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and every other Friday to 1 p.m.

Prosecution fires back

Tue, 13 May 2008 16:14:27 -0600

The prosecution’s rebuttal just wrapped up, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Niewoehner telling jurors that Rezko’s defense lawyer, Joseph Duffy, tried to divert their attention by focusing to heavily on star prosecution witness Stuart Levine.

“No matter how much Mr. Duffy wants to make this trial about the secret life of Stuart Levine, that’s not what this trial is about,” he said. “There’s somebody else who’s being exposed – it’s the defendant [Rezko’s] secret life.”

Duffy's Done

Tue, 13 May 2008 15:40:53 -0600

Joseph Duffy, Tony Rezko's defense lawyer, wrapped up his closing argument by again focusing on star prosecution witness Stuart Levine.

"It is OK for the government to be lied to, fooled and conned" by Levine, Duffy said. "But if I suggest to you that Mr. Rezko was the victim of the same, I’ll be chastised.