Briefs: Terror plot jury deadlocked
Jurors said Monday they were still deadlocked in the trial of seven men accused of plotting with al-Qaida to blow up Chicago's Sears Tower and bomb FBI offices, but a federal judge ordered the panel to continue deliberating. U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard denied a defense request for a mistrial. "It is your duty to agree upon a verdict if you can do so," Lenard told the jurors, who have debated the group's guilt or innocence for six days at the end of a two-month trial. Jurors sent a second note Monday to the judge indicating they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict against any of the "Liberty City Seven," named for the Miami neighborhood out of which they are accused of operating. A similar note had been issued Thursday. Lenard did not specify how long deliberations might continue. If jurors cannot reach a verdict, the U.S. Justice Department would have to decide whether to try the case again, drop the charges or negotiate plea agreements with some or all the men. The seven defendants each face as many as 70 years in prison if convicted on all four terrorism-related conspiracy charges. The case is built mainly on meetings between the group's leader, 33-year-old Narseal Batiste, and a pair of paid FBI informants.
Sharpton gives advice
The Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday issued a series of recommendations for reforming the city's police department and said if Mayor Richard Daley doesn't respond by Dec. 29, he'll launch an international tour to lobby against the city's Olympic bid. Among his recommendations: Ask the U.S. Justice Department to take control of the city's police department and investigate allegations of police brutality. Justice officials said they do not take over police departments or put them into receivership; Prohibit the head of the Independent Police Review Authority from speaking publicly about misconduct cases until the agency's investigation is done and its findings made public. Ilana Rosenzweig, chief administrator of the IRPA, said she welcomes the community's input but not the notion of keeping quiet; Reject Daley's choice for police superintendent, former FBI special agent J.P. "Jody" Weis, because of a lack of community input into his selection. Daley's office and Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond declined to comment Monday. The International Olympic Committee would not comment Monday, and calls to the U.S. Olympic Committee were not immediately returned.
No health care plan suit
A Sangamon County judge barred a lawsuit against Governor Rod Blagojevich's expanded health care plan Monday. But that's only because a similar one is proceeding in Cook County. Circuit Judge Leo Zappa agreed with lawyers for Blagojevich that allowing the lawsuit would be unfairly duplicative because a similar suit in Cook County was OK'd Monday. The Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity sued the governor last week to stop him from adding 147,000 parents to state-subsidized health insurance. Blagojevich announced plans to expand the program even though he didn't have authority from legislators. But Zappa prohibited the Sangamon County suit from being filed while the Cook County action plays out.