Jurors in the landmark public corruption trial of Michael Madigan are continuing their deliberations Friday, the eighth day of discussions in the marathon case.
Deliberations began Jan. 29 and as of Thursday evening had lasted for about 44 hours. Hanging in the balance is the fate of Madigan, formerly the most powerful person in Illinois politics, and his longtime right-hand man, Michael McClain.
According to jurors’ self-imposed schedule, if they do not reach a decision by 3 p.m. Friday they will pause for the weekend and resume discussions Monday.
The jury’s deliberations kicked off the final phase of a four-month trial. Its discussions have lasted longer than those in two other recent high-profile corruption cases: The jury in the “ComEd Four” bribery case, which featured evidence that overlapped significantly with some of the evidence in the Madigan trial, reached a verdict after about 27 hours. And jurors in the racketeering trial of former Ald. Ed Burke found him guilty in about 23 hours.
Still, the wait in other federal public corruption trials has been longer, including the 2011 retrial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, which ended in a conviction on almost all counts after more than 10 days of deliberations.
Jurors sent no notes Wednesday or Thursday.
That followed their sole note Monday, which asked about evidence related to Madigan’s alleged scheme to put onetime political nemesis Juan Ochoa on the ComEd board.
They have not asked for transcripts of any witness testimony, including that of Madigan himself, who testified in his own defense last month.
Madigan, 82, of Chicago’s Southwest Side, was for decades the most powerful man in Illinois politics, reigning over the state Democratic Party and setting a national record for longest-serving speaker of a state house. He is charged in a racketeering indictment that accused him of running his political and government operations like a criminal enterprise. McClain, 77, is a retired lobbyist from downstate Quincy.
Jurors have to consider 23 counts against Madigan alleging an array of schemes to enrich his political allies and line his pockets. McClain is charged in six of those counts.
Last week, jurors’ only communication was about scheduling — and office supplies. Shortly before noon Thursday, they sent a note to the judge asking for more highlighters, sticky notes and white-out.
To assist their deliberations, jurors have about 100 pages of legal instructions, dozens of undercover recordings, and hundreds of emails, texts and other documents entered into evidence.
In addition to alleging plans to pressure developers into hiring Madigan’s law firm, the indictment accuses Madigan and McClain of bribery schemes involving ComEd and AT&T Illinois, where the utilities allegedly funneled payments through do-nothing subcontracts to a handful of the speaker’s closest allies.
