This browser does not support the Video element.
Mike Madigan trial: Jurors still undecided after 7 days of deliberations
The jury deciding the fate of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and longtime political ally Michael McClain has now been in deliberations for seven days, with no verdict reached.
CHICAGO - The jury deciding the fate of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and longtime political ally Michael McClain has now been in deliberations for seven days and no verdict has been reached.
The panel has been quietly reviewing a vast amount of evidence, including wiretap recordings, internal emails, and other documents.
What we know:
Jurors have been deliberating for more than 40 hours, sifting through evidence presented during the nearly four-month-long trial.
They have been provided with a laptop to access key files as they work through the 23 counts against Madigan and multiple counts against McClain. The jury has not submitted any notes or questions since deliberations resumed on Wednesday.
Legal analyst Richard Kling, a clinical professor of law at Chicago-Kent College of Law, believes a verdict is near but warns it could take longer.
"It wouldn't surprise me if it didn't come in until tomorrow, juries don't like to hold it over the weekend," Kling said. "It was a three-month trial, and there were a lot of witnesses, there's a lot of counts and there's a lot of things they have to sort through."
What's next:
If convicted, Madigan, 82, and McClain, 77, could face significant prison time, though their ages may play a role in sentencing considerations.
If no decision is reached on Friday, deliberations would stretch into next week.