Judge not ready to retry AT&T Illinois exec accused of bribing Mike Madigan after mistrial
The judge overseeing the case against a former AT&T Illinois executive accused of bribing ex-state House Speaker Michael J. Madigan declined Tuesday to schedule another trial, saying he first wants to hear arguments on a motion for acquittal.
U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman got back together with lawyers in the case of ex-AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza five days after a jury failed to reach a verdict in the case. The panel heard from more than a dozen witnesses over four days earlier this month.
Defense attorney Tinos Diamantatos told the judge Tuesday he planned to file the motion for acquittal as soon as Friday, while prosecutors planned to ask for another trial date. But Gettleman said they’d be getting ahead of themselves by scheduling a new trial.
Rather, Gettleman said he planned to take a “serious look” at La Schiazza’s motion. He set oral arguments for Nov. 14.
The judge also made note of the changing state of the law in cases like La Schiazza’s. He said lower courts might wind up getting guidance from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
“I mean, we certainly could use it,” Gettleman said.
La Schiazza is accused of trying to bribe Madigan by paying $22,500 to a Madigan ally, former state Rep. Edward “Eddie” Acevedo, while AT&T was trying to pass significant legislation in Springfield.
Madigan, who faces a racketeering conspiracy trial Oct. 8, is charged for his alleged role in the same scheme.
However, Madigan's trial is set to begin three months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that a bribery statute employed by prosecutors in the investigation does not also criminalize after-the-fact rewards known as “gratuities.”
Since then, in addition to the hung jury in La Schiazza’s case, a jury in August acquitted an Indiana businessman who had been accused of bribing Cook County assessor’s office employees.