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Blago jury forewoman: Apology unnecessary

Despite being barraged by the media for the past four days, the Naperville jury forewoman who was the source of an emergency hearing Monday said if she were in convicted ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich's shoes, she'd want her attorneys to take the same course of action.

“I got my potshot taken at me,” Connie Wilson said. “But it is what it is, and I think if I was in the other position, I would want lawyers that were doing their job too.”

The scrutiny began late last week after news reports described Wilson showing a jury questionnaire to students at Metea Valley High School in Aurora.

After hearing about her talk, Blagojevich's lawyers then filed an emergency motion stating that if Wilson did, in fact, have a copy of her questionnaire, she has violated a rule of court “so severe” that “her violations must result in a new trial.”

Wilson and family declined to comment over the weekend, with numerous reporters calling and some even showing up at the front door of her Naperville home.

The forms she showed, Wilson said Monday, “were not my forms.” Those, she said, were turned in at the conclusion of the trial. In preparing for her talk with high school government students after Blagojevich's Dec. 7 sentencing, she “actually contacted the jury clerk to ask about what might be available for when you teach in a class,” she said.

The former teacher in Texas, Kansas and California, who was speaking at the behest of a friend, said she was simply “trying to put the process together for (the students).”

A blank form and jury summons were then sent to her, Wilson said.

Blagojevich attorney Aaron Goldstein said lawyers wanted a hearing only to find out which forms were showed, since lawyers were prevented from contacting Wilson themselves.

Judge James Zagel swiftly denied the defense team's motion Monday, noting he never instructed the jury that the questionnaire had to be kept confidential.

He said the “harebrained” motion was “prepared without any adequate thought.”

While the motion noted that Wilson “touted” her decision and role in the Blagojevich jury, Wilson said the opposite's been the case.

“I'm very cautious about what I say,” Wilson said. “It's a legal action that has affected a man's life. The jury has been very specific about being exceptionally careful. And that was even more frustrating.”

Zagel recommended attorneys apologize to Wilson for causing her such a headache.

She said she isn't looking for one.

“I”m not that type of person,” she said.

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