Judge: Blagojevich sentencing to take 2 days
A federal judge said Friday that it would likely take two days to sentence former Gov. Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges.
Judge James Zagel said he expected the sentencing hearing for Blagojevich, who was convicted of 18 counts, to last all of Tuesday and into Wednesday. He said he would not issue a sentence Tuesday.
Spreading the testimony over two days would give federal prosecutors and Blagojevich’s attorneys time to make their arguments without the need to “cram everything in” one day, he said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Blagojevich also plans to speak before he is sentenced, attorney Sheldon Sorosky told the Chicago Tribune after the hearing.
Even if both sides finish Tuesday, Zagel said he would have questions for both sides before he makes a decision.
Blagojevich, 54, was convicted at a second trial earlier this year of charges that he tried to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. He was also accused of shaking down the CEO of a children’s hospital and racetrack executives for campaign contributions. Jurors at his first trial convicted Blagojevich of lying to the FBI but deadlocked on other charges.
Prosecutors have asked Zagel to give Blagojevich 15 to 20 years in prison — a sentence that would be among the stiffest in Illinois’ sordid political history. Former Gov. George Ryan, convicted of racketeering and fraud, is serving a 6½-year sentence. And former Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko, convicted of trying to squeeze kickbacks from companies that sought state business, was sentenced last month to 10½ years, minus time served.
Blagojevich’s attorneys argue that federal sentencing guidelines, in their calculation, call for a sentence of 41 to 51 months — about 3½ years to more than 4 years. They also offer reasons for Zagel to impose a lighter sentence, and argue that prosecutors’ comparisons to Ryan and Rezko are misguided.
Zagel is not bound by sentencing guidelines or the recommendations of either side.
He’s denied several last-minute motions by Blagojevich, including one request to play unheard sections of federal wiretap tapes at next week’s sentencing.