"Prosecutors are worried that a planned television appearance by Rod R. Blagojevich [Blago], the indicted former governor of Illinois, may prejudice the potential pool of jurors for his trial on corruption charges scheduled for June. Although [Blago] has appeared on many television talk shows and recently published his memoir, his plans to appear with Donald Trump on the NBC reality show 'The Celebrity Apprentice' sent prosecutors to court on Monday, to seek limits on what [Blago] might say on the show. ... Defense lawyers countered that [Blago], who has pleaded not guilty to 16 charges, had a right to speak his mind and that a reality show was not a likely venue for jury prejudice to occur. ... During the hearing, prosecutors noted [Blago's] earlier television appearances, saying he was 'repeatedly commenting on the evidence of this case, often inaccurately'," Emma Fitzsimmons at the NYT, 20 October 2009, link:
"Inacurately"? Says who? The DOJ? Let Blago speak. What is the DOJ afraid of? Might Blago beat it at its own game: tainting prospective jurors through selective evidence leaks? Go Blago. If the DOJ doesn't like what Blago says, let the AUSA who tries the case comment on it during closing argument at trial. I last commented on this case on 28 December 2008: http://skepticaltexascpa.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-blogo.html. Note Fitzgerald's comments about the arrest.
1 comment:
Sometimes I read this stuff and it makes me want to throw up.
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