Blagojevich won't testify

[Elmore Furth]

Source: Chicago Tribune

From reality TV shows and late-night chat fests to the sidewalk outside the federal courthouse where a jury will decide his fate, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich has spent more than a year telling anyone who would listen that he would testify in his own defense and be vindicated.

But in a stunning twist as his time to take the witness stand came, Blagojevich's attorneys told U.S. District Judge James Zagel on Tuesday that the ex-governor would not testify and that they were prepared to rest their case without calling a single witness, sources told the Tribune. After conferring that message privately to Zagel and prosecutors in a lengthy sidebar, the defense team was told by the judge to mull the decision overnight.

The decision means Blagojevich won't be able to play any undercover recordings that he felt backed up his denials of wrongdoing. Last week, the judge took parts of two days to decide what recordings could be played for the jury by the defense, though he blocked many of the ones it sought to air.

Blagojevich's lawyers believed prosecutors had held back part of their case against the former governor to use against him in what promised to be a bruising cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar, who glared toward the defense table after learning of the decision.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/blagojevich/ct-met-blagojevich-trial-0721-20100720,0,2861528.story

[jaxx]

1. His brothers cross exam must have scared him off.

[smalll]

2. That is a stunning development! Although it wouldn't have been wise to do so,

he has been so vocal and adamant about getting on the stand himself! Plus, he LOVES to talk! "Breaking Hard" indeed!

[mucifer]

3. awww too bad I wanted to see that.

(so embarrassing, I voted for him twice). Oh well.

[customerserviceguy]

4. The only question is

will Blago serve more time than Lindsey Lohan?

[earcandle]

5. I'm sure he knows what he is doing. Probably not a good idea to walk into a trap set with all of

the trappings triggered for your demise.

Better to wait and see if the other gov who can have the
senate seat for himself, as Blago could, gets it and then
scream discrimation and criminalization of his own cause of
action.

[rocktivity]

6. Won't testify...or CAN'T?

"He's a loose cannon," criminal-defense attorney Joseph Lopez said. "They'll ask, 'What did you mean when you said '(expletive) the people of Illinois?' How's he going to answer that? He'll get creamed."

...Experts also believe the ex-governor's reversal could be connected to his brother's testimony this week. Though his defense team thought Robert Blagojevich helped both men's cases, Rod Blagojevich and his attorneys may have feared that the former governor wouldn't stand up as well during his grilling, which promised to be much more intense and lengthy than his older sibling's.

Can't.

:evilgrin:
rocktivity

[UTUSN]

7. His lawyers are spinning that the prosecution case was unproved?!1

With all the quotes on the tapes?!1