Aug 22, 2007 10:05 am US/Central
Judge Gives Ryan 4 Days To Report If Appeal Denied
CHICAGO (AP) ―
Former Gov. Jim Thompson won another small victory in court Wednesday morning for his friend, former Gov. George Ryan.
CBS Chicago reports that Ryan will get to remain free as his legal team takes his appeal to the next level and works to get him a new trial. But if an appeals court denies him another hearing, he will have to report to prison within four business days of that ruling.
At least for now, thanks to a couple of legal victories, Ryan will remain free on bond even though he had initially been ordered to report to prison by Friday. His legal team spoke Wednesday morning about why they believe his chances are good for a new trial.
"This was not a fair trial by jury," Thompson said at the Dirksen Federal Building this morning, speaking on behalf of his old friend and now legal client George Ryan.
At a court hearing this morning, a federal judge set the conditions for the indicted former governor to remain free on bond.
"He will do whatever he has to do by the order of the court. He believes in the court, he believes in the judicial system and if he's finally ordered to report, he will report," Thompson said.
The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals allowed Ryan to remain free on bond last night while they review a motion for a new trial filed by his attorneys.
Thompson says he feels Ryan's chances of getting a new trial are good because his is an extraordinary case.
"There is no other case in America where an appellate court has ever sanctioned replacing jurors eight days into the deliberations under the circumstances on which these jurors where replaced," Thompson said.
Ryan was convicted last April on charges of racketeering and corruption and sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.
But the trial was tarnished by allegations of misconduct by jurors which may lead the court of appeals to grant a new trail for Ryan.
CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller said, "It is extremely rare for the entire 7th Circuit to look over the shoulders of three of their own members and that's the typical scenario, but this is a very atypical case."
As to how long it will take for the 7th Circuit to hear Ryan's motion for a rehearing, it's difficult to know. But given that Ryan's attorneys have said they might take their appeal all the way to the U.S. Supreme court, it will probably be months, if not years, before the case is over.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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