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 A fund the ex-governor tapped to pay more than a dozen attorneys
and aides at his first trial has run dry. And now that Blagojevich
must rely on taxpayers to cover his legal bills, Judge James Zagel
has ruled he can have just two attorneys and a paralegal.
In a defense motion filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago on
Friday, Blagojevich's attorneys argued that getting proceedings
under way sooner than May could result in an unfair trial.
"It would force two trial lawyers to proceed hastily to trial in
circumstances where the government's resources and lawyers have not
been reduced nor changed at all," the motion said.
At his retrial, Blagojevich faces 23 charges, including that he
sought to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old U.S. Senate
seat for a top job or campaign cash. Jurors at his first 2 1/2-month
trial agreed only on one of 24 counts, convicting him of lying to
the FBI.
A diminished defense must, among other things, work up
cross-examination strategies, an opening and a closing. In the first
trial, defense attorneys split those duties, the motion said.
Among the attorneys no longer participating in Blagojevich's defense
is Sam Adam Jr., who delivered the crucial opening statement and
closing argument the first go-round.
The Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's
holidays all fall between now
and January, which will further cut into the attorneys' time
to prepare, Friday's motion adds.
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Zagel ruled to move the trial back to April 20, 2011.
The two designated defense attorneys for the second round are
Sheldon Sorosky, a longtime friend of Blagojevich; and the
younger, less-well-known Aaron Goldstein. Their team also
includes Lauren Kaeseberg, who is an attorney, but, in name, will
be Blagojevich's paralegal.
[Associated Press]
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Related AP article:
Judge grants request to delay Blagojevich retrial
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