Jurors in the Rod Blagojevich trial were able to reach a verdict on only one count : lying to an FBI agent. A mistrial will be declared on the remaining 23 counts.
Prosecutors immediately announced their intention to pursue the case, and a hearing is set for next week to consider a date for a new trial.
Pictured are Rod and Patti Blagojevich as the verdict was announced in court. Patti’s brother, Dick Mel has his arm around her shoulder.
Sun-Times story here.
Pictured are Rod Blagojevich and one of his lawyers, Sheldon Sorosky, waiting for Judge Zagel to take the bench and reveal the latest communication from the jury.
The jurors note only led to more confusion and speculation about how much progress they have made toward reaching a verdict. One reporter described it as riding a roller-coaster blind.
Shown above are Rod, his brother-in-law Dick Mel and his wife Patti discussing the note with a member of the defense team.
BlagoBlog has the story.
Rod Blagojevich and his wife Patti made their first appearance at the courthouse since jury instructions July 28. The are shown here as the arrive on the 25th floor and headed to the courtroom.
AP story here.
A few doodles to pass the time while waiting for a verdict.
Update: The jury has a question!
Andrew Cohen on The Verdict Watch
Day nine of Blagojevich jury deliberations and not so much as a note from the jurors since July 29th.
The only news to report is that NBC’s Channel 5 has scored victories at Scrabble and 80’s Trivia.
A good story on what jurors in former Illinois Gov. George Ryan’s trial experienced can be found here.
Courtroom sketching is a form of visual journalism or reportage drawing that is slowly dying out. Where once upon a time news organization each had their own artist covering a story, today a “pool” artist often sketches for all. It is a demanding and stressful discipline where the drawing is often done directly and under tight deadline.
After forty-five years of news sketching in courtrooms and congress I’m calling it quits. It’s been sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, almost always interesting. I’ve been lucky to work with some really great people. Don’t think I’ll miss it, but a little scared of not having a deadline.
While I won’t be sketching in court anymore, I may continue to post to this blog from time to time. Not sure what that might be. I’m about to start a new assignment documenting infrastructure and construction. Could be interesting.
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