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Read live blogs of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's first, second, third, fourth, fifth,
sixth and seventh days on the stand.
5:30 p.m.: After 27 days of testimony and 21 witnesses, Blagojevich jury officially gets case. They'll officially begins deliberations Friday at 9:30 a.m.
4:55 p.m.: Zagel reminds jury that Blagojevich plead not guilty to all 20 charges and the burden of proof falls on the prosecution.
4:53 p.m.: Jury is paying very close attention Judge Zagel's words as he instructs them on how they need to weigh the facts and evidence in the case.
4:48 p.m.:
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Closing arguments over. Zagel reading jury instructions now. Deliberations begin after.
4:40 p.m.: Schar to jury: "You are the only ones who can show the defendant between right and wrong. Your verdict will speak the truth" -- and -- "What you hear on the tapes are the words of a guilty man. This is not a frame up." -- and -- "Is the defendant (#Blagojevich) lying, or is everyone else (11 witnesses) lying?"
4:30 p.m.: Prosecutor Reid Schar continues to call #Blagojevich a "convicted liar"
4:05 p.m.: "We weren't allowed to," an upset Patti whispers when Schar tells the jury that Blagojevich has a criminal attorney that he never consulted
4 p.m.: Schar compares Blagojevich to an attempted bank robbery. "If he hands the teller the note, but doesn't take the money, its still a crime." -- and -- " [Blagojevich is] an example of a man who does what he wants to. He has four lawyers over there who couldn't stop him."
3:56 p.m.: "The defense wants you to think it is one of the largest government frame-ups," Prosecutor Reid Schar says.
3:54 p.m.: Rebuttal Closing Arguments begin. The prosecution gets its final word before the jury begins deliberating.
3:36 p.m.: Goldstein tells the jury it's been an honor representing Rod Blagojevich for 2 1/2 years, but his burden of protecting him is now theirs.
3:34 p.m.: As Goldstein finishes his closing argument, Patti Blagojevich breaks down into tears. She hugs her family, husband and defense team.
3:33 p.m.: Goldstein to jury: "You all know how serious this is. What's at stake. You are an example of why he fought this revolution."
3:32 p.m.: Defense plays last recorded phone call from Dec 8, 2008, when Blagojevich talks about calling Rahm Emanuel to move the Lisa Madigan deal forward.
3:20 p.m.: Goldstein on Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s $1.5 million offer: "[It's] not in dispute. An offer was made. [But] Blagojevich rejected it several times"
3:14 p.m.: Prosecution objects when the defense implies that if Blagojevich really suggested something illegal, someone would of alerted authorities.
3:10 p.m.: Goldstein: "If he was serious about Valerie Jarrett for the Senate, Blagojevich would have called Axelrod. There's not one call to Axelrod."
3:08 p.m.: Goldstein on Senate Seat shakedown: "Why talk about all these various options? Blagojevich was collecting ideas. It was a thought process."
3:05 p.m.: Goldstein tells the jury over and over again, "Actions speak louder than words."
3:02 p.m.: "Not a language in the world where 'Good to know' is a direction," Goldstein says, explaining that Blagojevich's words did not mean stop CMH increase.
2:58 p.m.: Goldstein to jury: "You're not here to decide good or bad. (You're) here to decide if that man committed a crime."
2:54 p.m.: "You don't do things that hurt things that you love," says Goldstein, citing Blagojevich's love of health care to deny he tried to shakedown Children's Memorial Hospital.
2:32 p.m.: Blagojevich, who took notes throughout the entire trial, is just sitting upright in his chair, with his hands crossed on his lap, listening.
2:30 p.m.: Patti Blagojevich has put down her book to listen to Goldstein's closing argument.
2:24 p.m.: Illinois Law says, "A public official demanding, asking, soliciting or seeking campaign donations does not constitute bribery [or extortion]."
2:19 p.m.: Blagojevich jury listens intently, but jurors take few notes compared to during the prosecution's closing argument.
2:15 p.m.: U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald listens to the Blagojevich closing in overflow courtroom.
2:09 p.m.: Defense posts a picture of the School's new athletic field with three bullet points: 1. School gets money. 2. School gets field. 3. Rod gets nothing
2:01 p.m.: Back from lunch, Blagojevich Attorney Aaron Goldstein begins picking apart the Government's evidence and witness testimony starting with the school shakedown.
12:41 p.m.: Lunch break called.
12:40 p.m.: Goldstein, now in a whisper to jury, says, "The most important issue is what's in that man's mind."
12:36 p.m.: Laughter in the courtroom. Just as Goldstein ridicules the government witnesses, a woman walks through the same doors they do. "I don't mean her," he says.
12:33 p.m.: "He likes to talk," Atty. Goldstein says again during closing arguments. "[Prosecutors] want you to believe that his talk is a crime."
12:31 p.m.: : "I hope you got to know [Blagojevich] a little. He's not perfect. He likes to talk."
12:27 p.m.: Goldstein paces the room comparing the differences between Blagojevich testifying and government witnesses testifying under plea deals and immunity. He tells jurors to question these witnesses who got immunity.
12:25 p.m.: "A man charged does not have to prove anything, does not have to testify," Goldstein says. "It's a voluntary walk and [Blagojevich] told the truth!"
12:23 p.m.: "That walk [from the defense table to the witness chair] took courage," Goldstein said about Blagojevich's decision to testify.
12:20 p.m.: "He didn't get a dime," Goldstein says, shouting at the jury. "Nothing in his pocket! Blagojevich didn't make one shakedown or demand!"
12:18 p.m.: Attorney Aaron Goldstein: "I told you in the opening statements about the Government's 'sound and fury' and in the end you heard nothing!"
12:16 p.m.: Defense begins closing arguments.
12:15 p.m.: Prosecution wraps closing arguments. [Read more here ... ]
12:14 p.m.: Prosecution shows final graphic from Blagojevich's statement after George Ryan's sentence: "Today's verdict proves no one is above the law," he said.
"Hold him to these words," Prosecutor Carrie Hamilton says.
12:11 p.m.: Prosecution plays final call from Nov. 10. On tape, Blagojevich says, "give the Mother [Bleep] his Senator for nothing? [Bleep] [Obama]."
12:06 p.m.: Prosecution: "Listen to the calls. One person (Blagojevich) is in the middle. One person is directing everyone. One person is benefiting from them."
12:03 p.m.: Prosecutors on Chicago Academy shakedown: "Lesson learned. Don't publicly announce anything then can't use it as leverage."
Noon: Prosecution: "When Blagojevich thinks it can hurt him, he can't remember. If it's going to help him, he knows unbelievable amount of details."
11:22 a.m.: "Don't believe for a second Blagojevich cared about the budget," prosecutors say about claims Rod pulled back the CMH rate increase for "bugetary concerns."
11:09 a.m.: Prosecutors say it's 6 people against one. Six people testified about the attempted tollway shakedown. Only one (Blagojevich) tells a different story.
10:56 a.m.: Prosecutors put the case in layman's terms for jurors by using an analogy of a police officer trying to solicit a bribe from a speeding driver.
10:47 a.m.: "[Blagojevich] has 60 days to sign the racing bill, but it can't be used to leverage a campaign contribution. That's the fraud."
10:42 a.m.: "[Blagojevich] has every incentive to come in here and lie. He's trying to save himself," the prosecution says during closing statements.
10:23 a.m.: Prosecutors show the jury graphics with the definitions of "conspiracy" and "bribery."
10:17 a.m.: Instead of taking notes like she has in the past, Patti Blagojevich is reading a book on her Kindle today.
10:11 a.m.: Prosecution's closing arguments resume.
10 a.m.: Court is delayed while waiting for jurors whose trains are delayed.
What To Expect Today:
Rod Blagojecich's retrial is wrapping up fast. Prosecutors finish their closing arguments Thursday morning, then hand the floor to Rod Blagojevich's defense attorneys. Judge Zagel allowed four hours for each side to complete their statements, and he wants them finished by Thursday afternoon.
From there, the corruption trial of the former Illinois governor Blagojevich goes to the jury. Jurors could begin deliberating Thursday.
Previous Journals:
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 -- Prosecution, Defense Rest
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 -- Cross-Exam Wraps
Monday, June 6, 2011 -- Cross-Examining Blago
Local
Thursday, June 2, 2011 -- Prosecutors Begin Their Attack
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 -- Blago on the Stand Day 4
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 -- Blago on the Stand Day 3
Thursday, May 26-Friday, May 27 -- Rod Takes the Stand, Days 1 and 2
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 -- Emanuel, Jackson Testify
Thursday, May 19, 2011 -- Blago To Testify
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 -- Prosecution Expected to Wrap
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 -- Blago Friend Monk Takes Stand
Monday, May 16, 2011 -- Wyma Cross-Examined
Thursday, May 12, 2011 -- Better Day for Blago?
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 -- Motion for Mistrial Denied
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 -- '[Bleeping] Golden' Tapes Played
Monday, May 9, 2011 -- Harris Cross-Examined
Thursday, May 5, 2011 -- Blago Considered Appointing Himself Senator
Wednesday, May 4, 2011 -- Harris Testimony Continues
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 -- Testimony Begins
Monday, May 2, 2011 -- Opening Statements Due Today
Thursday, April 28, 2011 -- Questioning Continues
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 -- 6 Jurors Left to Question?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 -- Opening Statements Likely Monday
Monday, April 25, 2011 -- Jury Selection Resumes
Thursday, April 21, 2011 -- Jurors Questioned
Wednesday, April 20, 2011 -- Welcome to the Retrial
