Madigan corruption trial jury continues deliberations without any signs of conflict

CHICAGO — Deliberations in the Michael Madigan political corruption trial continued for a sixth day, though there was no verdict, as a jury of eight women and four men continued combing through a mountain of evidence.

Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain are accused in a racketeering, bribery and wire fraud case.  

The Chicago Tribune compared jury deliberation times, including recent blockbuster trials like the ComEd 4 conviction, which mirrors the Madigan trial in many ways. Jurors took 27 hours to convict the so-called ComEd 4. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: No verdict on Day 5 of jury deliberations in Madigan corruption trial

Thus far, the Madigan jury has deliberated for close to 34 hours.

“The first step to a prosecutor being in trouble is likely to be the jury coming back and saying, ‘We’re having trouble agreeing,’” said WGN News legal analyst Paul Lisnek.

Tension building at the Dirksen Federal Building, as with everyone else, Amar Bhachu, the lead prosecutor and public corruption chief for the US Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois, is awaiting the verdict.

Lisnek said prosecutors should not be concerned because there are no signs of conflicts or other problems in the jury room due to the lack of notes from jurors, however.

“It’s almost as though this jury is telling the lawyers and the judge, ‘We don’t need your help. We just need time,'” Lisnek said.

WGN’s own Mike Lowe, back in 2023, tracked jury deliberations at another racketeering bribery trial involving the now-imprisoned former Chicago alderman Ed Burke. Lowe reported that 23 hours of jury deliberations were needed to reach their guilty verdict.

Then there’s the other end of the spectrum. Former Illinois Governor George Ryan’s 2006 guilty verdict on racketeering, bribery, and money laundering charges took jurors 11 days to reach.

With deliberation entering a week, federal prosecutors allege Madigan and former close confidante Michael McClain operated a long-term, multi-faceted conspiracy to use public positions for unlawful gain.

Jurors went home for the day at 4:30 p.m. Deliberations resume Thursday.