Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich re-trial on public corruption charges starts Wednesday in a federal courtroom in Chicago. Sun-Times federal court reporter Natasha Korecki who covered the first trial and the run-up, talked to Rob Blagojevich–the brother of the disgraced former governor–and he said Rod should testify in his own defense the second time around. Read Korecki’s story here.
from Korecki’s story:
Rob Blagojevich’s remarks come just before his brother is set to face retrial Wednesday, beginning with jury selection. Rob Blagojevich said the two have spoken a few times since last summer’s trial and he passed along the advice over the phone.
Rod Blagojevich will be retried on 20 charges, including the accusation that he tried selling President Obama’s vacant Senate seat. In August, a jury convicted the former governor of one count and deadlocked on 23 other charges. The jury deadlocked on all four counts against Rob Blagojevich.
Prosecutors subsequently dropped their case against Rob Blagojevich, which was more narrowly focused than his brother’s.
