Salon.com > Mike Robinson

Lawyers: Blagojevich won’t testify

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:21:00 +0000

Rod Blagojevich's attorneys say the ousted Illinois governor will not testify at his corruption trial. They promptly rested the defense case.

Blagojevich had long pledged to take the stand in his own defense, saying for months that he wanted to do so to set the record straight.

But his attorneys initially said Tuesday they could rest the case without calling a single witness. They confirmed that Wednesday. They say the prosecution did not prove its case.

Experts have said putting Blagojevich on the stand could be risky.

Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to scheming to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat and to scheming to launch a racketeering operation in the governor's office.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

CHICAGO (AP) -- Rod Blagojevich's attorneys say the ousted Illinois governor will not testify at his corruption trial.

Feds urge judge not to delay Blagojevich trial

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:56:00 +0000

Prosecutors urged a federal judge Monday to turn down ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's request to delay his corruption trial, saying public interest in the case warrants a speedy resolution.

Blagojevich's attorneys asked U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel last week to postpone the trial, which is scheduled to begin June 3, by five months.

Prosecutors told Zagel that Blagojevich "has repeatedly and publicly challenged the legitimacy of the charges against him."

"As a result, the public has a strong interest in the expeditious resolution of the charges -- an interest that would not be served by an unnecessary delay of five months in the start of his trial," prosecutors said.

They also reminded Zagel that by June 3, Blagojevich will have had more than a year to prepare with a number of lawyers working on his behalf.

Blagojevich is charged with racketeering conspiracy and other offenses that include allegations he schemed to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat and illegally pressured people doing business with the state for campaign contributions. He has pleaded not guilty.

Two charged in alleged $75 million healthcare fraud

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:20:00 +0000

Two former executives of the bankrupt health care company Canopy Financial Inc. were charged Monday with swindling investors out of $75 million and illegally pocketing $19 million from accounts that were supposed to pay the medical bills of individuals nationwide.

Canopy's former president and chief operating officer, Jeremy Blackburn, 36, formerly of Malibu, Calif., had already been charged in a criminal complaint filed in December with operating a $60 million fraud. He was released on a $1 million bond.

A criminal information filed by federal prosecutors on Monday said the amount of fraud discovered by federal investigators had grown to $75 million. Also Monday, the government charged Canopy's chief technology officer, Anthony Banas, 32, of Chicago, with taking part in massive fraud.

The Chicago-based company was known as one of the nation's fastest growing businesses before it entered bankruptcy last November. Both executives were charged with two counts of wire fraud punishable by up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.

The government has asked the court to order the two men to forfeit $94 million plus watches and automobiles if they are convicted.