With just a week until former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is sentenced, his lawyers have once again raised the ire of federal judge James Zagel.
Throughout Blagojevich’s trials - both of them - Zagel often showed his annoyance. Sometimes it was with the theatrics of Blagojevich’s attorneys, or their repeated improper questions, or Blagojevich’s week-long testimony with its many tangents into history. This time, it’s a motion they filed last week asking to play tapes at Blagojevich’s sentencing hearing, tapes they say will show the governor’s lack of “ill intent.”
Zagel blasted them for filing it on the Thanksgiving Day weekend when the court accepts only emergency motions. He said this was not an emergency because there was no new evidence, the defense has had the tapes for many months. And commenting on the fact that they don’t specify what tapes they want to play, Zagel writes,” I have effectively been presented with a motion on which I can not make an informed ruling,” and he adds, filing the motion at such a late date is simply wrongful.
