Blagojevich lawyers try to persuade judge to grant them permission to play other FBI tapes
By APWednesday, July 14, 2010
Blagojevich lawyers battle to play tapes for jury
CHICAGO — Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers are trying to persuade the judge at his corruption trial to let them play a batch of FBI wiretap tapes that jurors haven’t yet heard.
The ousted Illinois governor’s attorneys say the tapes show Blagojevich in a more positive light than the ones jurors have heard. On those, Blagojevich spewed profanity and often sounded desperate to land a well-paying job.
His attorneys said before a three-hour hearing Wednesday that prosecutors have tentatively agreed to allow them to play 10 of the 38 tapes. And they came away from the hearing with permission from U.S. District Judge James Zagel to play two more. The hearing will resume Thursday.
Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to charges including scheming to sell or trade President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.
