There’s a twist in the ongoing corruption trial of four former city of Chicago officials. For weeks, witnesses implicated them in corrupt hiring practices. But now, they’ve won a first victory.

Apparently, the mail was never sent, and that makes all the difference in an accusation of mail fraud. Federal prosecutors had just wrapped up their case, when they asked the judge to dismiss the first count of mail fraud.

Pat Deady represents Tim McCarthy, a former official in the mayor’s office.

“The significant part as far as we’re concerned is that’s the only count that all four defendants are actually named in together. All other five mail fraud counts are all individual counts with some, but not all of the defendants,” he says.

The entire defense team is likely to pounce on the momentum. It’s lined up witnesses, but hasn’t announced in what order it will call them.