Jason Meisner @jmetr22b
Good morning from the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where another long day of questioning potential jurors is scheduled in the corruption trial of ex-Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime friend, Michael McClain.
So far we have 3 seated jurors. 13 to go.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/10/09/in-person-jury-questioning-to-begin-in-madigan-trial/
Madigan trial judge warns of long jury-selection process if slow questioning pace continues
The judge is on the bench.
By my count they still have yet to question 16 people from the original pool of 48 jurors yesterday.
Once that's done, they'll do more peremptory strikes and we could have more jurors sworn in.
Then it's on to the next panel this afternooon.
Judge says Juror 126 is going to be released after they sent an email saying a relative needed help after Hurricane Milton.
Judge says 33 of the 48 people in the next group survived for cause challenges.
They are now questioning Juror 18, a woman who says she saw stories about Madigan's corruption case "on the news."
What does she remember?
"Not a lot."
==Juror 18 raised her hand yesterday when asked if she wanted to be on this jury and if she felt people should not be "politicians for life."
"Sometimes it appears that the people who are in office for a long time lose touch with reality," she says today.==
https://twitter.com/jmetr22b/status/1844381370912764090