Shameful attempt by Blagojevich attorneys to get new trial

These are desperate times for Rod Blagojevich and his attorneys. There can be no other explanation for their attempt to get a new trial by accusing the jury forewoman from Naperville of misconduct by talking to a group of students at Metea Valley High School.

The former governor was sentenced Dec. 7 to 14 years in federal prison after his conviction on corruption charges. He and his attorneys seized on a story published last week in the Daily Herald in which Connie Wilson talked about her experiences as a jury member, including sharing details on the questions she answered on her jury questionnaire, when she made an appearance before students at the Aurora high school in Indian Prairie Unit District 204.

In a motion filed late last week and heard in court on Monday, Blagojevich’s attorneys claim Wilson engaged in misconduct for showing what they believe are copies of her juror questionnaire to students. Questionnaires, the motion states, are property of the court, and must remain “confidential and under seal.”

They then said the infraction was serious enough that Blagojevich should get a new trial.

Look, we know this is the man found guilty of trying to sell President Obama’s U.S. Senate seat with some very colorful language. And we know this is the man who wanted to become a reality television star after his indictment.

But have you no shame, Mr. Blagojevich? A new trial because of a speech your jury forewoman gave to a group of high school government students? Thankfully, federal Judge James Zagel would have none of it Monday morning.

“How you could have concluded that the juror was lawfully restricted (from sharing information about her jury questionnaire) is just beyond my imagination,” Zagel said, as quoted by Daily Herald politics writer Kerry Lester. He suggested Blagojevich’s attorneys write a “letter of apology” to Wilson for their “harebrained” motion.

We think that’s a great idea. And we hope this ridiculous attempt to jump-start a new trial at her expense will not deter Wilson from sharing her newfound “voice” in the community.

“I think I have found my voice as an advocate for taking responsibility as a citizen,” Wilson told the Daily Herald last week after her Metea Valley appearance.

The retired church music director epitomizes the type of person we want speaking to our youth about government and their civic responsibility. The fact that a corrupt former governor would try, through his attorneys, to use her to weasel out of his conviction and his prison sentence is proof that her message needs to get across to those just getting to the age to vote. True to form, Wilson said she didn’t need an apology.

Wilson’s speech made an impact on at least one Metea Valley senior. “It made me realize that normal citizens have a big say in the judicial system,” said Julia Laski.

Indeed they do. We’re grateful, as all Illinoisans should be, for citizens like Connie Wilson.