Jurors on Tuesday are set to return for their 10th day of deliberations in the marathon corruption trial of ex-speaker Michael Madigan.
Deliberations began the afternoon of Jan. 29 and as of Monday afternoon had lasted more than 57 hours. Their discussions have already lasted longer than those in some recent corruption trials: The jury in the “ComEd Four” bribery case, which featured evidence that overlapped significantly with some of the evidence in the Madigan trial, reached a verdict after about 27 hours. And jurors in the racketeering trial of former Ald. Ed Burke found him guilty in about 23 hours.
The Madigan jurors are approaching the length of deliberations in the 2011 retrial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, which ended in a conviction on almost all counts after more than 10 days of discussions.
Madigan, 82, of Chicago’s Southwest Side, was for decades the most powerful man in Illinois politics, reigning over the state Democratic Party and setting a national record for longest-serving speaker of a state house. He is charged in a racketeering indictment that accused him of running his political and government operations like a criminal enterprise. McClain, 77, is a retired lobbyist from downstate Quincy.
Jurors have to consider 23 counts against Madigan alleging an array of schemes to enrich his political allies and line his pockets. McClain is charged in six of those counts.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com
rlong@chicagotribune.com
