Legal Commentary

Sunday Night Open Thread

By Jeralyn

Football is postponing Big Brother tonight, but there's also a new episode of Food Network Star with Rachel Ray followed by a new show about grocery trucks. (Really.)

Jurors in the trial of Rod and Robert Blagojevich resume deliberating tomorrow. I haven't read anything that changes my speculation here that the jury rejected the two RICO counts against Rod, is split on the bribery and extortion charges against both Rod and Robert, and split on the false statement charge as to Rod.

The only thing I can think of to add is that the jurors' division on bribery/extortion for Rod (if indeed they are and remain divided) bodes well for Robert. [More...]

Unless they determine Rod committed, attempted to commit or conspired to commit extortion or bribery, how can they even get to whether Robert aided and abetted, attempted or conspired to commit either offense?

If they don't find Rod committed a crime, Robert can't have aided and abetted it. If they don't agree there was a conspiracy, Robert couldn't have been a co-conspirator. If Rod didn't have the intent to commit bribery or extortion, he didn't attempt it, and if he didn't attempt it, how did Robert?

Of course, there's no telling what they'll do on the wire fraud counts or if any changed their minds over the weekend.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 15, 2010 (boomark / email).