Sunday, May 29, 2011

Day off before Blagojevich lawyers mount defense (AP)

CHICAGO – Rod Blagojevich's attorneys have a day off to make final preparations before they begin mounting a defense at the former Illinois governor's corruption retrial.

Judge James Zagel has business unrelated to the case Tuesday. So he delayed the restart of the trial until Wednesday.

Defense lawyers have said they'll call their first witnesses Wednesday. But they haven't provided any names.

They describe their witnesses as prominent people who've been subpoenaed previously.

That means the witnesses could include Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel hasn't been accused of wrongdoing. But his name came up often in government testimony.

Defense attorneys have left open the possibility of calling Blagojevich himself. But they may wait to decide that until others take the stand first.

Blagojevich faces 20 charges. He denies any wrongdoing.


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