Blagojevich's Sweeping Appeal Lashes Out At Judge
From the Chicago Tribune
In what may have been the most stunning moment of Rod Blagojevich's two criminal trials, a federal prosecutor began cross-examining the former governor with this biting question: "Mr. Blagojevich, you are a convicted liar, correct?"
Blagojevich, earlier found guilty of lying to the FBI, stammered "yes" even as his lawyers shouted objections, which were summarily rejected by U.S. District Judge James Zagel. The judge later allowed the characterization repeated in the government's closing argument.
And that, contends the legal team for the now imprisoned Blagojevich, is just one of a litany of errors and one-sided rulings from Zagel that undermined a robust defense and now cries out for a higher court to reverse his convictions on 18 criminal counts.
The formal name of the government's case was "USA v. Blagojevich," but if defense appeals came with their own titles, the 153-page document filed late Monday with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals might be called "Blagojevich vs. Zagel."
Blagojevich was convicted of misusing his powers as governor in an array of shakedown schemes, including one to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the 2008 election of Barack Obama as president. His two trials, in 2010 and 2011, were marked by running battles between Zagel and Blagojevich's lawyers over motions, rulings, evidence and even the courtroom demeanor of the attorneys and the defendant himself.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Chicago Tribune
In what may have been the most stunning moment of Rod Blagojevich's two criminal trials, a federal prosecutor began cross-examining the former governor with this biting question: "Mr. Blagojevich, you are a convicted liar, correct?"
Blagojevich, earlier found guilty of lying to the FBI, stammered "yes" even as his lawyers shouted objections, which were summarily rejected by U.S. District Judge James Zagel. The judge later allowed the characterization repeated in the government's closing argument.
And that, contends the legal team for the now imprisoned Blagojevich, is just one of a litany of errors and one-sided rulings from Zagel that undermined a robust defense and now cries out for a higher court to reverse his convictions on 18 criminal counts.
The formal name of the government's case was "USA v. Blagojevich," but if defense appeals came with their own titles, the 153-page document filed late Monday with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals might be called "Blagojevich vs. Zagel."
Blagojevich was convicted of misusing his powers as governor in an array of shakedown schemes, including one to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the 2008 election of Barack Obama as president. His two trials, in 2010 and 2011, were marked by running battles between Zagel and Blagojevich's lawyers over motions, rulings, evidence and even the courtroom demeanor of the attorneys and the defendant himself.
Read more in our daily News Update...