Robert Blagojevich Asks For Separate Trial To Avoid Rod's Taint

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Apr 16, 2010 3:20PM

Robert Blagojevich, brother and co-defendant of our ex-governor Rod Blagojevich, has asked to have his trial separated from that of his brother's. Why? Taint: he doesn't want any taint against the ex-gov to rub off on his part of the trial. In a motion recently filed in court, Rob's attorney, Michael Ettinger, said:

"The publicity and media exposure regarding Rod Blagojevich will distract the jury's focus of the case and the evidence against Robert Blagojevich...a great deal of evidence that would not be admissible against Robert Blagojevich if he were tried alone. This poses a danger that the jury may be prevented from making a reliable judgment about Robert Blagojevich's guilt or innocence."

Robert is a Nashville businessman who is accused of helping his brother try to sell off the U.S. Senate seat as as chairman of the Friends of Blagojevich campaign committee. While attorneys for the two insist the brothers are still amicable, there has been tension reported between the two due to strain of the impending trial, which is scheduled to start June 3. After watching Rod's run on Celebrity Apprentice, we'd distance ourselves, too.