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Blagojevich Seeks to Delay Trial
Produced by Rob Wildeboer on Friday, November 13, 2009
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Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is asking a federal judge to delay his corruption trial.
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments next month challenging the so-called "honest services fraud statute." Blagojevich has been charged with breaking that law, among others. His lawyers are asking a judge to delay the case saying that if a Supreme Court decision came down on the eve of the trial, that would complicate things for defense attorneys and prosecutors alike.
They say if the high court strikes down the honest services law, parts of the indictment against Blagojevich would be automatically wiped out. Judge James Zagel is overseeing Blagojevich's case and in pre-trial hearings he's repeatedly made it clear that he doesn't want this case to be dragged out, that he's intent on starting next summer.
If Blagojevich were to be convicted of violating the honest services statute and then the Supreme Court found the statute unconstitutional, the former governor would be able to appeal on that basis.
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