Afternoon Briefing: Michael Madigan takes the stand

Good afternoon, Chicago.

In a stunning and risky move, ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan has taken the stand in his own public corruption trial today.

“Your honor, the defense calls Mike Madigan,” attorney Dan Collins said, and jurors snapped to attention.

Madigan was sworn in, sat down, unscrewed the top of a bottle of water and began answering questions in a loud, plain Chicago accent. Dressed in a gray suit and blue and red tie, Madigan looked directly at the jury as he spoke, using his hands and talking conversationally.

Follow along for updates from the courtroom.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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