Despite the disgraced governor’s tears, pleas of his children, and testimony of fellow prisoners who seek out his counsel, the judge was not swayed Tuesday to change his original 14-year sentence.
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In this Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016 courtroom sketch, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, right, appears via video from a Colorado prison during his re-sentencing in a federal courtroom in Chicago.
Prosecutors have urged Zagel to impose the same 14-year prison term – one of the stiffest sentences for corruption in IL history.
Blagojevich apologized at his resentencing moments after he grew emotional as one of his two daughters read a statement in court in which she called him “an wonderful father”.
Blagojevich – dressed in a green prison uniform, his dark hair turned white as he appeared via videoconference – admitted he made many mistakes, including the way he fought back against the charges.
They said Blagojevich’s 14-year sentence shouldn’t be reduced despite an appeals court resentencing order.
In her letter to the judge on the eve of resentencing, Patti Blagojevich said her husband calls every night from prison and that the family has visited him more than 20 times during his years in custody.
U.S. District Judge James Zagel told Blagojevich at his first sentencing hearing in December 2011 that “when it is the governor who goes bad, the fabric of IL is torn and disfigured and not easily or quickly repaired”.
“I need him more than ever”, Annie said.
Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, with his wife Patti.
The defense has asked for a five-year term, citing the dropped counts and Blagojevich’s exemplary behavior in prison. Blagojevich then went to the U.S. Supreme Court to get the remaining convictions overturned, but failed. She said, unless Blagojevich can accept responsibility for breaking the law, “there can be no rehabilitation”. “From our point of view, and the point of view of thousands of people that have reached out to me over the last four years, we find his sentence unusually cruel and heartless and unfair”, she said.
Blagojevich became the second consecutive IL governor convicted of corruption.
Zagel also received a letter from Blagojevich’s father-in-law, former Chicago Alderman Richard Mell. They even pointed to how Blagojevich, an Elvis Presley fan, formed a prison band called “The Jailhouse Rockers”. The group had a 21-song play list, and Blagojevich was the lead singer.
Bonamici conceded that seeing Blagojevich’s kids in court was “heartbreaking”, but added, “we can’t forget the people of IL”.
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In his first public appearance since entering prison, Blagojevich was shown on a courtroom camera as he learned his fate during his last attempt at early release. Blagojevich’s legal team repeated the phrase “actions speak louder than words” several times during Tuesday’s hearing.
