By Annie Sweeney, Vikki Ortiz Healy and Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah, Tribune reporters
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/blagojevich/ct-met-blagojevich-verdict-jury-20100818,0,1234825.storyAugust 18, 2010
The 12 individuals who sat in judgment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich were, by their accounts, cordial and careful in their consideration of charges against the colorful politician, coming close to convicting him on many counts — including a plot to sell the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. But after 14 days of deliberation, they were able to find unity on just one of the 24 counts. Blagojevich was convicted only of lying to the FBI, leaving many of the jurors dissatisfied with the result.
"It is disappointing to have something of this magnitude and this much effort end like this," said juror Stephen Wlodek, of Bartlett. Hours after the verdict was read Tuesday, jurors were reached at their homes across the Chicago area, some declining to speak, others willingly opening up about the contentious trial that drew international attention to the city and state. "They were very strong personalities," foreman James Matsumoto said of the jurors. "They were all independent thinkers."
He said he would have convicted Blagojevich on all counts, saying that the case slowly built, "layer upon layer." "You just say, 'God, what was he doing?' You find out here they were selling seats on boards and commissions. That to me was shocking," Matsumoto said.
But in the end, he said, the "lack of a smoking gun" was too much of a hurdle for jurors to reach more than the one unanimous decision.
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