Apr 18, 2006 6:00 pm US/Central
Legal Experts Judge Pallmeyer's Performance
Some Criticize Jury's Freedom
by Joanie Lum
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
From day one, Federal Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer has been on the hot seat at the Ryan trial.
CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports on how legal experts are judging the judge's performance during the grueling and contentious proceedings.
Federal Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer has a reputation for fairness, but lawyers complain she's indecisive.
"Too willing to listen to both sides, too willing to let decisions linger," said Chicago-Kent College of Law 's Douglas Godfrey.
That might be why the George Ryan corruption trial stretched on for five months.
Illinois' biggest corruption trial in decades landed in Pallmeyer's courtroom and her every ruling was scrutinized and weighed by legal standards.
DePaul Law Professor Leonard Cavise attended the trial to use it as a teaching tool, and he was surprised to hear the judge show vulnerability.
"She was often bewildered, perplexed and she would say so," he said.
During the deliberation phase, jury members sent Pallmeyer notes reportedly complaining about each other.
Some legal experts say she gave the jury too much freedom. She let them set their work schedule and they let themselves have three-day weekends.
"I would have had them work on Friday once they got the case and deliberate on Saturday as well," Godfrey said.
"You sequester a jury, they are highly motivated to come to a decision much sooner," Cavise said.
Handling a case of this magnitude can be a big boost for Judge Pallmeyer if she's interested in moving to the appellate court.
But if her rulings are overturned on appeal, that's something no judge wants to endure.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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