Holdout Juror in Blagojevich Case Says Evidence Showed 'Shades of Gray'
JoAnn Chiakulas was not favorably impressed with impeached ex-Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, finding him “narcissistic” and “rambling.”
But the 67-year-old grandmother nonetheless stood her ground during 14 days of jury deliberation in his political corruption trial, refusing, reportedly as the sole holdout, to find him guilty on 23 of the 24 charges he faced, reports the Chicago Tribune.
A retired state public health employee, Chiakulas says she had nothing to gain from refusing to find Blagojevich guilty, and endured a great deal of stress as other jurors pressured her to agree to convict him. But she did what she thought was right.
“Some people … only saw black and white,” she says of her fellow jurors. “I think I saw, in the transcripts and in the testimony, shades of gray. To me, that means reasonable doubt.”
For more about her views on the deliberations, read the full article.
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Jury Verdict in Blagojevich Political Corruption Case: Guilty Only of Lying to FBI”
