Jury selection continues in Madigan’s corruption trial

(The Center Square) – The bribery and racketeering trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is set to resume Tuesday with more questioning of potential jurors.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys for Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain spent three days interviewing prospective jurors last week.

Taraleigh Davis, assistant professor of Public Law and Political Science at Bradley University, told The Center Square it is not surprising that several people spent more than 30 minutes answering questions.

“I mean, to have eleven jurors already selected in a week actually isn’t that bad. They’ll be looking at the last one and then alternates this week,” Davis explained.

Individuals who received jury summons filled out questionnaires before appearing in court. One prospective juror told The Center Square that the questionnaire included 88 questions.

Davis said Judge John Robert Blakey is not rushing the process.

“Two different defense teams also asking questions adds to the timing of it. Interestingly, the judge seemed to be OK with them taking their time and building rapport with the jurors in the questioning,” Davis said.

Davis is also a Legal Studies and Pre-Law Advisor at Bradley. She said jury selection is challenging with a high-profile person like Madigan.

“Madigan’s over-decades involvement in Illinois politics, Democratic Party of Illinois, it’s really difficult to find a jury possibly that doesn’t already have pre-conceived notions of him in particular. It makes a big difference if it’s a figure like that,” Davis said.

Madigan chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois from 1998 to 2021. He was a state representative from 1971 to 2021 and served as Speaker of the Illinois House from 1983 to 1995 and from 1997 to 2021.

Madigan is charged in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois with 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct.

Co-defendant McClain is a longtime Madigan associate who worked as a lobbyist after serving in the Statehouse.

Eleven members of the jury have been seated for the trial at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago. One more juror plus six alternates are needed for the trial to proceed.