Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Celebrate good times, come on!
U.S. Court of Appeals affirms the conviction of former Governor/Illinois State Insect George Ryan.
The opinion, which may be read here if you have some time to kill, deals primarily with issues relating to the jury deliberation process, and how jurors were dismissed from the panel. They didn't really deal with the jury's finding, because:
The current order allowing Ryan to remain free pending his appeal would require him to report to prison within 72 hours. Ryan's attorneys are planning to ask the Court of Appeals for an en banc hearing (by the whole court instead of the three judge panel that issued today's ruling), and will ask for a modified order allowing him to remain free until then.
The opinion, which may be read here if you have some time to kill, deals primarily with issues relating to the jury deliberation process, and how jurors were dismissed from the panel. They didn't really deal with the jury's finding, because:
"In the end, the evidence supporting the jury's verdict was overwhelming."As to the jury issues, as well as various evidentiary matters, the Court of Appeals found that the trial judge managed the chaos well enough to affirm the result.
The current order allowing Ryan to remain free pending his appeal would require him to report to prison within 72 hours. Ryan's attorneys are planning to ask the Court of Appeals for an en banc hearing (by the whole court instead of the three judge panel that issued today's ruling), and will ask for a modified order allowing him to remain free until then.
