Jury selection for Madigan trial pushes into next week

[October 18, 2024]  By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Jury selection is not complete in the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, but opening statements are tentatively scheduled to begin Monday afternoon.

The 12-member jury and four alternates were seated Thursday, but two additional alternates are needed.

Judge John Robert Blakey discussed the possibility of placing time limits on questioning of witnesses during the trial if he saw inefficiency. The judge also asked prosecutors and defense attorneys to prepare estimates on how much time they might take with each witness during the trial.

Blakey told attorneys he did not want to implement a “shot clock” for questioning witnesses, but he would do it if felt he had to or if he saw inefficiency.

At various points during jury selection, potential jurors spent an average of more than 35 minutes answering questions. Each prospective juror had previously filled out a questionnaire with 88 questions.

Taraleigh Davis, assistant professor of Public Law and Political Science at Bradley University, said it makes sense that defense attorneys asked potential jurors how they feel about lobbying.

“Lobbying is legal. I think lobbying in general has a negative connotation for a lot of people,” Davis said.

Davis said prosecutors should not let the trial drag on too long, even though they may have a lot of evidence.

“I mean, the prosecution has to be careful, because you want to keep the jury engaged. If you keep going on and on and on, you’re going to lose them,” Davis said.

Attorneys asked potential jurors from Chicago if they had interacted with their alderman or if they had contacted their alderman’s office.

According to prosecutors’ indictment of Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain in 2022, Chicago Alderman Danny Solis began cooperating with federal authorities in 2014.

Co-defendant Michael McClain arrives at the federal courthouse where he and former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan are on trial on corruption-related charges. - Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

Prosecutors allege that the alderman agreed to help steer business to Madigan’s personal law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner, which specializes in challenging property tax bills for its clients.

According to the indictment, “Madigan in return assured Alderman A that he would help him obtain a State board appointment by telling Alderman A, ‘Just leave it in my hands.’ ”

Professor Davis said she is not sure how many people would be aware of “Aldermen A” named in the indictment.

“Having the longest-running Speaker of the House in a state legislature, that’s one thing, but I’m not sure how many people actually even know their alderman or even outside of that ward, per se,” Davis said.

Blakey asked attorneys Thursday how long their opening statements might take. Prosecutors estimated two hours for their side. Defense attorneys for Madigan and McClain estimated one hour for each defendant.

Blakey said his instructions would take “about 31 minutes.”

Madigan is facing 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct. Madigan served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021. He was speaker for all but two years between 1983 and 2021.

Madigan also chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois from 1998 to 2021.

McClain was an Illinois state representative who later worked as a lobbyist.

United States of America v. Madigan et al is scheduled to resume Monday at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago.

Investigative reporter Brett Rowland contributed to this story.