Judge: Blagojevich sentencing will take two days, even if lawyers wrap up sooner
BY NATASHA KORECKI Federal Courts Reporter nkorecki@suntimes.com December 2, 2011 1:18PM
Rod Blagojevich enters a car after attending his corruption retrial at the Dirksen Federal Building Thursday, June 2, 2011, in Chicago. | John J. Kim~Sun-Times
Updated: January 4, 2012 8:05AM
Even though prosecutors and defense lawyers said Friday they can make their arguments in just one day and won’t need to a second day next week for convicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s sentencing hearing, the judge in the case said he won’t impose a sentence on Tuesday and still plans to do that on Wednesday.
“I will not pass sentence on Tuesday, will not,” Zagel said at a hearing Friday.
Zagel had set aside Tuesday and Wednesday for Blagojevich’s sentencing hearing.
He told Blagojevich’s lawyers they won’t need to “cram everything in” on Tuesday.
Even after the lawyers wrap up their arguments regarding sentencing, the judge said he expects to have questions for them.
Prosecutors are asking Zagel to give Blagojevich 15 to 20 years in prison. Blagojevich’s lawyers are seeking probation for him.
Natasha Korecki
