Lawyers to argue for, against Cellini retrial

Attorneys are set to argue for and against a retrial in the corruption case of a longtime Illinois powerbroker.

The question for the Friday afternoon hearing in Chicago is whether a member of the panel that convicted William Cellini last year denied the 77-year-old a fair trial by lying during jury selection about her criminal history.

Prosecutors say the lies about her past felonies were ultimately inconsequential to jurors’ finding that Cellini did conspire to extort a Hollywood producer for a campaign donation.

But the defense says her lies created a built-in bias.

During a hearing earlier this month, juror Candy Chiles bristled under defense questioning. At one point, she stormed from the courtroom yelling, “Leave me alone!”

It wasn’t immediately clear if Judge James Zagel intends to rule Friday.