A jury agreed upon a conviction for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on multiple counts Wednesday while deadlocking on others. Despite efforts to reach a unanimous decision on all charges, the jury informed the court that they had agreed on 17 counts but remained divided on 12 others.
“We have come to a unanimous decision on 17 counts. We have tried our very best to come to a unanimous decision on 12 counts,” a jury note said Wednesday morning.
Federal prosecutors have stated they will accept the decision of the convicts on those several counts.
Following a discussion between attorneys, the jury received a note stating:
“Members of the jury, you do not need to reach a unanimous decision on all charges before returning a verdict on some of them.”
Federal prosecutors have indicated they will accept the jury’s conviction on the resolved counts. After discussions among attorneys, the jury was instructed that they could return a partial verdict without reaching a consensus on all charges.
The jury has completed the verdict forms for the counts they unanimously decided on and is expected to return to the courtroom shortly.
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, once one of the most powerful figures in state politics, took the stand last month to testify in his own defense during his federal corruption trial. The move is highly unusual for a criminal defendant and surprising for Madigan, who has maintained a notoriously low public profile throughout his career.
Madigan, who served in the Illinois legislature from 1971 to 2021 and became the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history, faces a 23-count indictment that includes charges of bribery, racketeering, and wire fraud. Federal prosecutors allege he exploited his dual roles as Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party to consolidate power and enrich himself and his associates.
Among the accusations, prosecutors claim Madigan used his influence to push legislation favorable to companies like Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) in exchange for benefits such as no-show jobs and internships for political allies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker told jurors, “When Madigan saw an opportunity to enrich himself, he took it.”
