Chicago: Ousted Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted by a federal jury here on one count of lying to the FBI, is heading for a trial in January
next year, reports said Wednesday.
According to sources familiar with the matter, US
District Court Judge James Zagel told the attorneys last week
(on August 26), he was eyeing January for the second trial. He
has suggested Blagojevich can have two court-appointed
attorneys who are paid with taxpayers fund, the Chicago
Tribune reported.
Blagojevich faces five years in prison for being
convicted.
The jury was deadlocked on the remaining 23 counts.
In the first trial Blagojevich had half a dozen
lawyers defending him.
Also his brother, Robert Blagojevich - a Nashville,
Tennessee-based businessman and a retired Army officer, who
was charged with the former governor, was set free by jurors
last week because of his less central role in the alleged
schemes.
Robert had also become a hurdle in the primary mission
to convict the impeached governor.
Robert was charged with two counts of extortion
conspiracy and one count each of wire fraud and extortion.
Blagojevich was involved with Indian-American Oak
Brook-based businessman Raghu Nayak and Rajinder Bedi for
selling the senate seat of then-president elect Barack Obama
in 2008.
Nayak had offered USD 6 million in campaign money to
appoint Jesse Jackson Jr, as a senator.
Bedi, a Blagojevich aide, and Nayak were both involved
in this fundraising activity.
Blagojevich was also accused of obtaining campaign
contributions in exchange for official appointments in his
administration.
He was arrested along with his Chief of Staff John
Harris on December 2008 for indulging in pay-to-play politics
during his tenure as governor.
PTI
