Jury begins deliberations in corruption trial of former Chicago alderman Ed Burke
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The corruption case against longtime former Ald. Edward Burke, the longest serving City Council member in Chicago history, is now in the hands of a jury.
Following five weeks of testimony, it's expected deliberations could take several days, and the judge has already told jurors if they don't have a verdict by the end of the week, they will have Christmas week off before resuming deliberations after New Year's.
The jury of nine men and three women began deliberations Monday afternoon around 2:15 p.m., after U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall spent more than four hours reviewing their jury instructions, which totaled more than 350 pages.
The instructions mostly had to do with Burke's alleged actions and what specifically about his actions or intentions would constitute him being guilty or not guilty of each count.
The judge said the verdict must represent the considered judgment of each juror and must be unanimous.
Burke is facing 14 counts in a federal indictment, accused of scheming to trade political favors for lucrative business contracts for his law firm.
Burke faces one count of racketeering, two counts of federal program bribery, two counts of attempted extortion, one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, and eight counts of using interstate commerce to facilitate an unlawful activity.
Charged alongside Burke are two co-defendants, his political aide Peter Andrews, and real estate developer Charles Cui.
Prosecutors said the case against Burke boils down to four separate schemes:
- An effort to extort the Field Museum when it was seeking an admission fee increase in 2017 by trying to get them to hire a friend's daughter for a paid internship.
- An attempt to squeeze the owners of a Burger King in his ward to hire his property tax appeals law firm in exchange for his support for their efforts to renovate the restaurant.
- A bid to pressure the owners of the Old Post Office to hire his law firm in exchange for his support for tax incentives for a redevelopment project.
- And agreeing to take a bribe from Cui to help him get approval for a pole sign for a Binny's Beverage Depot as part of a development project at 4900 W. Irving Park Rd.
Andrews is charged with one count of attempted extortion, one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of using interstate commerce to facilitate an unlawful activity, and one count of making a false statement to federal investigators.
Cui is charged with one count of federal program bribery, three counts of using interstate commerce to facilitate an unlawful activity, and one count of making a false statement to federal investigators.
Cui is accused of offering Burke a bribe for help with a development project, and Andrews is accused of helping Burke convince the owners of a Burger King in his ward to hire his private law firm for property tax work.
On Friday, closing arguments wrapped.
Burke's defense team calls this case "thin" and asks the jury to let common sense prevail and bring back a not-guilty verdict.
Prosecutors in the federal case say, "The crimes that happened here occurred at the intersection of power and opportunity...."
Jurors completed their first day of deliberations around 5 p.m. Monday
Before jury deliberations began, two alternates were let go. They were called upon not to discuss the case.
Judge Kendall also said there have been so many people getting sick during the trial that the alternates should be on standby until they get a call that a verdict has been reached.