Rezko confronts 1st witness today
JURY CHOSEN | Prosecutors, defense to trade arguments
March 6, 2008
BY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter/nkorecki@suntimes.com
Three silk ties lay upon a book that reads, "Jury binder #3."
Tony Rezko -- once a multimillionaire, now a famous criminal defendant -- enters the courtroom, and a deputy U.S. marshal holds up the array of ties: Rezko gets to choose.
» Click to enlarge image Indicted political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko leaves Chicago's federal building in October 2006.
(AP file)
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Rezko takes his seat. A few feet away is his wife, Rita. He mouths words to her, winks. But he isn't allowed to really communicate. Not from the defendant's chair.
So it's one of his lawyers who approaches Rita Rezko during jury selection to explain where, exactly, her husband's favorite suits are hanging in his closet and to ask: Please bring them.
At day's end, Rezko changes back into his orange prison jumpsuit and returns to the federal lockup downtown and the cell his lawyer calls "the hole."
Even before his corruption trial really gets under way today, with the lawyers' opening statements and the first prosecution witness, it's been a long fall for Rezko.
Once, he rubbed elbows with politicians like U.S. Sen. Barack Obama and Gov. Blagojevich. He traveled overseas for months at a time, sealing multimillion-dollar business deals. The wealthy and powerful would pack his mansion in Wilmette for fund-raising galas.
Now, if friends and family want to see him, they do so from a courtroom bench. Obama has very publicly moved to purge his campaign chest of money donated by Rezko or otherwise tied to him.
Rezko faces mail fraud, wire fraud and attempted extortion charges. He stands accused of using his clout with Blagojevich to squeeze kickbacks and campaign contributions from companies that wanted state pension business. Prosecutors maintain that as Rezko raised more money for Blagojevich, his influence with the governor's administration swelled. Each charge carries a possible sentence of as much as 20 years in prison.
On Wednesday, jury selection wrapped up, with prosecutors and Rezko's lawyers agreeing -- in private "sidebars" -- on 12 jurors and eight alternates, two who will be dismissed today.
Today -- when the lawyers outline their cases to the jurors -- will mark the beginning of a long haul for the developer, an intense courtroom battle expected to last three to four months.
Friends say Rezko is preparing for the fight of his life.
"I imagine what's weighing most heavily on Tony right now is his family, the impact it's had on his wife and his family," said a Rezko friend who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "You've seen the family rally around him."
THE LAWYERS
Opening statements in the much-anticipated trial of Tony Rezko are set to begin at 9 this morning. Each side is expected to take about an hour.
FOR THE DEFENSE
Joseph Duffy -- Rezko's chief criminal-defense lawyer -- is a onetime prosecutor with more than 25 years of experience in white-collar-crime cases, Duffy's past clients include Muslim charity leader Enaam Arnaout and Patricia Duff, the mother of politically connected businessman James Duff. Also on the defense team: William Ziegelmueller and Mariah Moran, from the law firm Stetler & Duffy.
FOR THE GOVERNMENT
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Hamilton will deliver opening remarks for prosecutors. Hamilton recently prosecuted the Hamas fund-raising trial of Muhammad Salah and also prosecuted ex-Death Row inmate Aaron Patterson. Also on the prosecution team: Reid Schar and Christopher Niewoehner. |
