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The Cook County medical examiner’s office today confirmed that a body identified as Christopher Kelly was brought to the morgue from Stroger Hospital. The office would not provide any details, including his age, address and manner of death, because the family had not yet arrived at the office.
Kelly had just reached a plea deal on Tuesday to serve 57 months in prison stemming from a fraud case involving a roofing contract at O'Hare. He was also facing an additional 37 months from a previous conviction. In spite of pressure from federal investigators, Kelly had repeatedly refused to cooperate in the Blago investigation; he was to turn himself in to jail next week.
Update: From the Trib story: "The office said Kelly died of salicylate intoxication. According to medical reference guides, salicylates are used in anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday."
Update II: Blagojevich issued the following statement: “I am deeply saddened to hear that Chris has died. My heart goes out to his wife, Carmen, his three daughters, Grace, Jacqueline, and Claire and his entire family. They are in our prayers."
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Wow. Real life is truly stranger than fiction. Chris Kelly said that he wouldn't squeal on Blagojevich, but remember that the same sort of thing was initially said by Scott Fawell. Later, Fawell sung like a canary against George Ryan.
Maybe, just maybe, Chris Kelly would have started ratting on Blagojevich if he had time behind bars to think about it some more.
What did he die from? Did Blago do it? Oh yeah, Governor Hairspray is on his book tour.
Just saw the update that Marcus added about the three kids. Now I just feel sad. My prayers are with the family.
I second that 'wow'. How sad for his family.
I saw Blago on Jimmy Kimmel the other night. Was he on crack or something?
There are no words for this guy. Clueless doesn't even begin to describe him.
I saw this clip of him being totally owned by Bonnie Hunt (that woman just rocks):
http://www.buzzfeed.com/rchemel/bonnie-hunt-grills-rod-blagojevich-during-tv-inte-4c
That frikking hair is doing him no favors. What is he? Twelve? Get that stupid hair out of your face you idiot-man!!! God I HATE that hair!
Blagojevich is a sociopath. Look into those cold dead eyes. Once you consider this, it's pretty easy to process his actions.
Now this is just plain freaky. I usually loathe the very idea of conspiracy theory, but salicylate intoxication? Did he swallow a case of Bayer? Weird.
Kelly was the go to guy in the Blago Administration; was a substantial player in this State’s overall corruption game which is thriving still today. Kelly was convicted for bilking monies from the jobs he did, some were public jobs. As part of Blago's kitchen cabinet, Kelly, Blago, Harris and Monk sat around a table to choose who would work for the State of Illinois, not based upon the individual’s skills but based upon the amount ($25,000) of the political contribution they, their families or business could give Blago's campaign fund. How many of the Kelly clan work for State Government? As the Fed’s have charged, Kelly, Blago, Harris, Monk and many other unnamed politicians and people (Celeni among them) behind the scene, have done untold harm to this State, spending this state into near bankruptcy. One just needs to take a look at where a number of these people have landed and the scandals surrounding them , Tollway, IDFPR, DOC and others. Kelly knew what he did was wrong, he was convicted and faced the possibility of additional charges, despite his family, he took the easy way out.
This is just typical of the modern day Chicago/Illinois politician. He lies, cheats and steals until he is caught. Then, rather than face the music, he continues his selfishness and takes the easy way out. Now his wife and three kids are left to deal with his mess. What a pathetic human being.
What a pathetic human being.
Yeah, you certainly are.
Oh, sorry, were we talking about the dead man or the sack of crap prattling on about the "easy way out"?
And you're really going to have a kid? Really? Shame.
Yes, in this case I think this scumbag took the easy way out. He knew all along he was taking part in illegal activity in some cases, and highly unethical activity in other cases (helping appoint friends to do-nothing jobs).
I did not mean that suicide is always the easy way out, but it is in this case. His kids grow up fatherless and his wife's life just got ten times harder. Am I supposed to have sympathy for Kelly?
No, no one expects even a shred of human decency from you.
Just shoot at anything that moves and then whine about how everyone is so gosh darn mean to you.
Honestly, before the kid comes, do some soul-searching. Which is to say, find a soul.
Thanks for the free advice, but my instincts tell me that I would do well to ignore you or to do the exact opposite of what you say.
So I'm supposed to feel bad for this man because he might have been mentally unstable? Come on. He was able to make millions off of roofing contracts, and he rose to the top of Illinois politics with Blago. He didn't want to serve his prison time, face his debts, and rat on everyone so he ended his life, leaving his family to clean up his mess. The only people I feel awful for is his family.
However, I'm sure his wife and kids are happy to hear that they are in Blago's prayers.
I didnt realize that suicide was "typical" in Chicago and Illinois politics. I'm really glad you are up at 4am playing internet warrior to be able to spread your knowledge and insight.
What are you talking about 4am? Can't you read the time of my post?
I wasn't saying suicide is typical and I think that is obvious from my post. What is typical of Illinois pols is selfishness and getting into politics to make money off of taxpayers. Then, when they are exposed they rat on each other, run away, or do anything to take responsibility for what they have done.
Dickhead of the day award goes to you. Jesus, grow a fucking soul.
Oh, spare me. I'm sorry if I don't feel sorry for this man. He seemed very sane when he was alive and now look how many lives he has ruined.
If this were a Republican, I'm sure you people would be celebrating on this board.
Only if that Republican were you.
Oh, how mean. Wishing me dead when I have a kid on the way? Have you no soul? I recommend you do some soul searching the next time you wish someone dead.
Wow, you liberals are so compassionate.
Then shouldn't you be busy practicing your Lamaze and all that instead of annoying people on this board?
btw....your kid is going to be a bleeding heart liberal when he/she grows up :)
Now, perspective here, he didn't kill anyone. He was schnook and a thief. Even Blago, who is an unctuous bag of hair, isn't a murderer. He should cool his heels in a cell for a good long stretch, to be sure.
Now here's you, some bloviating troll who claims to be popping out a kid in the near term and making plans to high tail it out of this big ol' mean city. See, I think you're a damn sight worse than Kelly. Cause even as a felon and a suicide the guy wasn't spending his weekend making snide comments about a dead white-collar criminal before he's even in the ground.
Now crawl back under your rock until you see some other shiny bit of flamebait to start arguing about.
I'm not nearly as concerned with compassion as I am with coming up with semi-decent one-liners that use too many words. The fact that you've chosen to spawn is irrelevant to me.
Each time you post, I'm just going to call you a dickhead. Because you're a dickhead.
Why was this guy at Stroger Hospital? Was he an inmate at the time?
He wasn't an inmate.
More importantly, why was he transferred to County Hospital from Oak Forest Hospital.
The private ambulance that took him between hospitals passed at least one Level 1 trauma center on the way that was much closer [Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn on 95th St.]
That's what causes me to think conspiracy!
Otherwise I would have just thought it was a suicide of a man whose life has been destroyed by his own stupid & corrupt behavior & who couldn't face years in a federal prison, especially while Blago is on his insane nationwide "I didn't do a damn thing wrong tour"!
It is oversimplifying things to say that he "took the easy way out."
He probably suffered from depression or other psychiatric disorder, and he had a known history of compulsive gambling. We really don't know the facts about his mental health.
Depression is a disease. Compulsive gambling, to some experts, also is a disease. On top of that, the guy had the crushing stress of his impending prison term. It's likely a combination of factors that led him to take the action that he did.
He may have been a huge scumbag, but suicide is not really about taking the easy way out....it's about trying to just make the pain stop.
Well, this is pretty convenient for Blago.