REALITY TV: JURY FINDS BLAGO GUILTY ON ONLY A SINGLE COUNT OF MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO FBI
Deadlocked On All Other 23 Counts

Last Thought: I've re-titled this "Reality TV."

Patty Blagojevich appeared on last summer's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. She wasn't there to win. She was only there to influence the jury pool, to convince people how gosh-darn all-American and sweet she was.

I have to admit: I watched this a bit, and did in fact buy into her act. A little.

Then Rod Blagojevich went on The Celebrity Apprentice. He too didn't care if he won or not; his job was to appear human.

He did less of a job than Patty. Pretty much he appeared like an ineffectual jerkoff who, understandably, cursed at his lawyers a lot on the phone. But in the "boardroom," he was all "Mr. Trump this" and "I have the utmost respect for my competitors that."

It was a sales job, two people seizing upon a sad fact of American life: Celebrities are permitted to murder people. If they're allowed to kill other human beings, what's a little graft?

All they had to do was gain some kind of shady, sketchy, bottom-feeding what's-below-the-D-list celebrity status, and some shut-ins and social retards whose only friendship and comfort comes from a glowing box would imprint upon them and deem them "good people."

Is this what happened? Or is it just a political thing, someone either defending sugar-daddy ward-heeler Blago, or defending him because they see past him and worry that if this domino falls then Jesse Jackson Junior or -- God forbid -- the New God Obama could be damaged?

I don't know. Seemed pretty solid to me. Guy was asking for money for a Senate seat. Even in Chicago, that strikes me as over-the-line.

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Reminder: In federal court, unanimous decisions are required (in a few states they're not), so remember, this could just be one crazy person/Blago fan hanging the jury, living out a 12 Angry Men fantasy.

It occurs to me the other 11 jurors, in my scenario, could have requested the oath they took to show to the hold-out to demand he or she live up to the obligation he or she had sworn to.

So this could just be one maniac holding out. All is not necessarily lost.

Prosecutor vows to go forward with second trial, which may be evidence he knows something like this happened and is unlikely to happen again.

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Another Feed: This one from ABC -- According to them, Blago found guilty on only a single count-- false statement?!!?

And the statement was merely that he didn't care to know where his money was coming from, that he kept a firewall between politics and money.

What?

What?

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Chicago Radio News Live-Streaming: Thanks to a commenter.

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Update: Again, there is a verdict, but not on all counts... I guess they did as the judge asked and continued deliberations but re-reported themselves hopelessly deadlocked.

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The verdict's ready-- but is the verdict ready to rock?

I swear to God, it seems to me their first question for the judge was "Are we allowed to indulge in jury nullification?" Can you see any other likely meaning?

They ask exactly what oath they, the jurors, took upon being sent into deliberations.

In their latest note to U.S. District Judge James Zagel, jurors signaled they may be getting close to wrapping up their negotiations. They have asked for two things.

First, they requested a copy of the oath that they took when they were sent to deliberate the case against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

"Do you and each of you solemnly swear that you will well and truly try and a true deliverance make between the United States and ______, the defendant at the bar, and a true verdict render according to the evidence, so help you God?"

Second, they asked Zagel how to fill out a verdict form when they can't agree on a specific count. "Do we leave it blank or report the vote split?" the note asked.

Zagel agreed to send a copy of the oath to jurors and said he would also instruct them to write on top of the verdict form if they cannot reach a consensus on a count.

Zagel also ordered Blagojevich and his brother, Robert, to remain no more than 30 minutes from the courthouse.

It's like they want to know if they're breaking the law if they render a knowingly false verdict.

For Blago? Really? This guy's worth repudiating an oath made before God? This guy has that kind of appeal?

Blind partisan/tribal loyalty -- it's a valuable fuckin' thing.

Now, earlier they were told to be near court; now the Brothers Blago are told to come to court.

The verdict was expected an hour from that last report, which was at 3:14 Central, so it should come down in about half an hour or so.

REALITY TV: JURY FINDS BLAGO GUILTY ON ONLY A SINGLE COUNT OF MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO FBI
Deadlocked On All Other 23 Counts&bodytext= Last Thought: I've re-titled this "Reality TV." Patty Blagojevich appeared on last summer's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. She wasn't there to win. She was only there to influence the jury pool, to convince people how...&topic=world_news"> posted by Ace at 05:21 PM

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