Better Government Association

Revamped Ryan jury starts deliberations over again

By Rudolph Bush - Chicago Tribune
March 29, 2006

The reconstituted jury deliberating in the corruption trial of former Gov. George Ryan this morning requested a list of witnesses, a projection machine and a court calendar for April.

U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer granted all of the jury's requests, according to her staff.

Pallmeyer added two alternates on Tuesday and ordered deliberations to start over following Tribune reports that two of the original jurors had concealed arrest records from the court. Palleyer dismissed those two jurors Monday afternoon.

The jury was reformed with two alternate jurors who attended the trial.

Pallmeyer had provided the previous jury with the projection machine and a list of witnesses but ordered the jury room cleared of all notes, documents, charts and other aides that jury had used.

Jurors sought the April calendar "to determine the court holidays if any," according to a note signed by woman who served as the forewoman of the previous jury.

It appears that woman remains the forewoman for the reconstituted jury.

Pallmeyer responded in a brief note that there are no court holidays scheduled for April. "[B]ut I understand that Passover begins on April 12, 2006 and Good Friday is on April 14, 2006," she wrote.

"You are free to set your own schedule for deliberations," she wrote.

The jury left for lunch shortly after noon.