Inherit The Windbag: Day 3 Recap

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jun 8, 2010 2:00PM

After another day of jury selection, we're close to having a jury and getting the ball rolling with opening statements, which are set to begin this morning at 11 a.m. Yesterday's buzz at jury selection was mostly over a former Q101 radio host who now hosts a television show; he was eventually dismissed after telling the judge he'd likely lose his job over having to sit in on the trial, not to mention he had discussed the trial on his show (he was dismissed). The commenters over at the Tribune site took their best guesses and seemed to figure out the man's identity with relative ease (so much for anonymity). There are around 50 potential jurors left in the pool and attorneys on both sides will use their peremptory challenges to cut 22 jurors (defense cuts 13, prosecutors cut 9) and then whittle it down to a jury of 12 with around 6 alternates. Of the pool of jurors still left, Natasha Korecki notes there is not a single Liz Lemon among them.

So what now? Opening statements. Prosecutors have estimated their statement will take around an hour, the same given by the attorney for Robert Blagojevich. But what of G-Rod? Not surprisingly, his attorneys have asked for 2.5 hours; Judge Zagel has given them an hour and forty-five minutes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Hamilton will present the feds' case in opening statements; she was part of the team that convicted Tony Rezko in 2008. Meanwhile, Sam Adam Jr., the man who called Blago a "celebrity idiot," will be presenting the ex-gov's opening statement. Cue the ringmaster and let the three-ring circus begin.