The jury in the corruption trial found former Governor Rod Blagojevich guilty of Count 24, making false statements. Judge James Zagel declared a mistrial on the 23 remaining counts.
Count 24 carries a possible sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
"The prosecutor said he was stopping a crime spree before it happened," said Rod Blagojevich after he heard the verdict. "This jury just showed you that notwithstanding that the government threw everything but the kitchen sink at me, they could not prove I did anything wrong, aside from one nebulous charge from five years ago."
"We have police officers who are being gunned down in the streets but we have a prosecutor who has wasted time and spent tens of millions of dollars prosecuting me, persecuting me, taking me away from my family and my two little girls," Blagojevich said. "We didn't even put a defense on and the government couldn't prove its case."
Blagojevich's lawyer agreed.
"We didn't put on any defense, none, zero, zip, nada and the government still couldn't prove their case," said Rod Blagojevich's attorney, Sam Adam Sr. "It proves that they didn't have a case in the first place. The crime spree that stopped was [U.S. Attorney Patrick] Fitzgerald violating people's constitutional rights and the jury stopped that today."
Fitzgerald gave a terse statement after the verdict.
"What I think is important that we show respect and gratitude for jury's service," he said. "That's all I want to say. Now we have to get ready for a retrial."
The prosecution demanded a retrial, and the judge told the lawyers to discuss how soon they could start.
"We can be here tomorrow," said one of the prosecutors. The next court date is now scheduled to be August 26.
"I am an innocent target of the federal government," said Robert Blagojevich said immediately after court adjourned. "I have ultimate confidence in my acquittal. I thank the jury for what appeared to be a very serious deliberation."
"I feel bad for my brother," he said. "This has been a slow bleed financially, emotionally and otherwise. My life has been on hold for a year and a half. I am frustrated but I feel strong in what I have to do."
When asked whether he blamed his brother, Robert Blagojevich snapped: "I don't comment on my relationship with my brother."
"When my brother asked me to help him, I said yes," Robert Blagojevich said. "Regrets? I don't look back, I just look forward."
Robert Blagojevich's attorney, Michael Ettinger, said the next time around he might call different witnesses.
"I didn't think at any time they would find Robert guilty," Ettinger said. Ettinger also wondered what happened to mysterious second count; last week, the jury said that they had reached a verdict on two counts but on Tuesday, they only gave a verdict on one.
As Rod Blagojevich entered the courtroom, he told people waiting outside, "Say a prayer for us."
The jurors deliberated for 14 days before they notified the judge they had reached a decision Tuesday afternoon.
Blagojevich and his brother, Robert, were on trial on dozens of charges, including an alleged conspiracy to trade the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama for personal gain. Rod Blagojevich faced a 24 count indictment, with charges ranging including racketeering, conspiracy, bribery, extortion, wire fraud and making false statements to the government.
The jury could not reach a unanimous decision on any of the four counts involving Robert Blagojevich.
Earlier Tuesday, the jurors requested a copy of the oath they took when seated and wanted to know how to mark the verdict form for counts upon which they were split.
Judge James Zagel responded that they should write a statement on top of the verdict form saying they could not reach a consensus -- and they were told not to indicate the vote split on any of the counts.
The trial lasted two months and featured testimony from former Blagojevich insiders John Harris and Lon Monk. Robert Blagojevich and his wife, Julie, took the stand in his defense, but Rod Blagojevich’s defense team made waves by not calling a single witness .
In his closing statements, Sam Adam, Jr. asked the jury to blame him for making a promise Blagojevich would testify and him not taking the stand. He argued Blagojevich did not testify because the prosecution had not proved its case.
Republican Judy Baar Topinka, who ran unsuccessfully against Rod Blagojevich for governor, said she was disappointed in the verdict.
"I believe the evidence of his guilt was clear and persuasive, however it is clear that at least some of the jurors were unable to reach the same conclusion," said Topinka. "Justice will prevail; it will just take longer than many of us hoped."
In the drama following his arrest, Blagojevich appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to fill President Obama's old Senate seat.
On Tuesday, Burris issued a brief statement: "Following a fair hearing in court, former Governor Rod Blagojevich has been found guilty on one count for making false statements to the FBI. He has been given a fair trial by the judgment of a jury of his peers."
"While jurors deadlocked on many charges, they clearly confirmed the former governor's pattern of dishonesty," said Illinois Senate President John Cullerton. "As I said last January on the day the Senate delivered our verdict, this is a sad occasion. There's no pleasure or relief in this outcome. I voted to remove Mr. Blagojevich because he was clearly unable to govern, demonstrated disdain for the laws and processes of our state and pathologically abused his power without regard for the people he was elected to serve."
