Blagojevich jury selection drags into 4th day

[April 27, 2011]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Questioning of would-be jurors in the retrial of impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was dragging into a fourth day Wednesday, with the judge apparently devoting more time to the jury-selection phase than he initially anticipated.

The first trial ended with a hung jury last year, with a single hold-out juror preventing conviction on several key counts. That outcome has emphasized just how vital jury selection is to both sides in Blagojevich's do-over trial.

In his first trial, Blagojevich was found guilty of lying to the FBI. He still faces 20 charges, including allegations that he tried to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's vacant U.S. Senate seat in exchange for campaign cash or a job after he left office.

Judge James Zagel had hoped to have a jury in place by the middle of this week, which could have meant opening arguments Wednesday or Thursday. But he said Tuesday night that openings may only happen early next week.

About 35 people out of the several dozen Zagel has questioned so far remain in the jury pool. Zagel has said he wants 40 before making final decisions about the 12 jurors and six alternates who will sit in the jury box.

Among those who remain in the jury pool are a Cook County prosecutor, as well as a self-proclaimed Republican who downloaded the ring tones of Blagojevich on secret FBI wiretaps and who believed Blagojevich was guilty.

The judge decided to keep him and others who said they formed unfavorable opinions of Blagojevich. Zagel said he accepted their assurances they could set aside any biases and weigh the case on the evidence alone.

The retrial is not expected to last as long as the first one -- which spanned 2 1/2-months -- in part because prosecutors have streamlined their case.

[Associated Press; By MICHAEL TARM and KAREN HAWKINS]

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