Blagojevich supporters wait outside Chicago courthouse
Rod Blagojevich will be sentenced today and the event has drawn a few supporters to the Chicago courthouse.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Blagojevich kept quiet as he made his way to the federal courthouse to face sentencing for corruption charges. Today marks the second day of Blagojevich’s sentencing hearing and he is expected to address U.S. District Judge James Zagel.
After Tuesday’s hearing, it has become apparent that Blagojevich will likely be hit with a stiff sentence and his legal team abandoned their hopes that he would avoid prison time. Still, this didn’t prevent Blagojevich’s wife, Patti, and his lawyer, Aaron Goldstein, from pleading the judge to “be merciful.”
About 20 Blagojevich supporters crowded around the courthouse on Tuesday, making it clear that Blagojevich did wrong, but deserved mercy.
“Yeah, he did wrong, but I’ve seen worse,” said Linda Marsh, 37. “They made him look like Al Capone the second.”
“When you do the crime, you’re supposed to do the time,” said Lynn Cruz, 41. “But at the same time, he has a wife and kids. Did [Blagojevich] really intend to do wrong or was he just kind of ignorant and being led astray? I don’t know the answer to that.”
