Selection of jurors underway for trial of former Illinois House speaker

Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain arrived separately to the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse in Chicago Wednesday morning.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan arrives at the federal court building in Chicago Wednesday morning for the start of jury selection in the case alleging nearly a decade long of corruption against Madigan and some of his associates. Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

Judge John Robert Blakey opened proceedings at 8:57 am Blakey explained rules of conduct to potential jurors. He also told oaths that the court would move as fairly and efficiently as possible to honor their sacrifice.

The judge advised jurors that the trial was expected to last about 10 weeks.

Only five potential jurors took questions from the judge, prosecutors and defense attorneys Wednesday morning. Blakey asked attorneys on both sides about the possibility of adjusting the estimated trial length in the court’s explanations to jurors, but attorneys agreed to economize time and the judge moved forward without a change.

In the afternoon session, defense attorneys asked different potential jurors about their favorite television shows and postings on social media. In one case, a defense attorney asked a potential jury about religious beliefs. In another case, a question was asked about a potential jury’s favorite flavor of frozen yogurt.

Seventeen potential jurors were released early in the afternoon, based on answers to a questionnaire they filled out on Tuesday morning.

Attorneys questioned five potential jurors individually in the afternoon, making a total of 10 jurors who were screened in the courtroom on Wednesday. A second group of jurors heard instructions and answered questions with a show of hands Wednesday afternoon.

Illinois State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, a law school graduate from Southern Illinois University, said the jury pool had already been whittled down significantly.

“From that thousand or so that they had sent summons to, they condensed it down to under 200 who did not have any indication on where they were leaning with the case already,” Windhorst explained.

Windhorst said both prosecutors and defense attorneys will be looking for jurors sympathetic to their arguments.

“The object of jury selection is to get a fair jury that will consider the evidence and determine the facts of the case to get a just result,” Windhorst said.

Madigan’s defense team asked potential jurors if they believed that nobody should be a politician for life, if they felt Chicago politicians were corrupt, and if any of them would leave Illinois if they could, due to taxes, regulation or other factors.

Attorneys also asked potential jurors if they had affiliations with unions or had strong feelings one way or another about unions.

Blakey accepted a waiver from Madigan’s co-defendant, requesting that McClain not be required to be present for every moment of the trial. McClain’s attorneys had discussed the issue with the judge during a pretrial meeting on Tuesday.

Windhorst said the attention given to Madigan’s case makes it different than others.

“You know when you’re dealing with a high-profile defendant, that tends to skew things, depending on who you ask, one way or the other,” Windhorst said.

Madigan appeared to be attentive throughout the proceedings on Wednesday. He could be seen reading through papers or occasionally writing things down at the table where he sat with his team of attorneys.

Madigan is facing 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct.

Jury selection for United States of America v. Madigan et al is scheduled to resume Thursday at 9 am in Courtroom 1203. Along with alternates, nine more jurors are needed for a 12 member jury.