(The Center Square) – Jururs have reached a verdict late Tuesday afternoon in the Commonwealth Edison bribery case. The verdict has not yet been read.
Earlier Tuesday, the jury in the case asked another question about the jury instructions. The question was about how to proceed on one instruction if “you don’t believe the government has proved ‘beyond a reasonable doubt'” on a separate instruction.
The question prompted some debate between prosecutors and defense attorneys, but U.S. District Court Judge Harry Leinenweber decided to instruct the jury to re-read the instructions.
“I’m reluctant to mess with the language of the instructions,” Leinenweber said before making his decision on the latest note.
Tuesday was the jury’s fifth day of deliberation in the case. Deliberations started about 3:30 p.m. on April 25 after nearly seven weeks of trial testimony.
Prosecutors charged former state lawmaker and lobbyist Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and former contract lobbyist Jay Doherty with a multi-year scheme to gain Madigan’s support for legislation that would benefit the utility’s bottom line. The defendants have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, bribery and willfully falsifying ComEd books and records.
During the trial, prosecutors argued the four doled out $1.3 million in jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan associates in exchange for favorable legislation for the company in Springfield.
Defense attorneys argued they did nothing wrong. They said the conduct was legal lobbying, including efforts to build goodwill with elected officials.
ComEd agreed to pay $200 million in July 2020 to resolve a criminal investigation into the years-long bribery scheme. As part of a deferred prosecution agreement, ComEd admitted it arranged jobs, vendor subcontracts, and payments in a bid to influence Madigan.
Madigan resigned after losing the House speakership in January 2021. Between March 2022 and October 2022, Madigan was charged with 23 counts of racketeering, bribery, and official misconduct in a separate case alongside McClain that could go to trial in April 2024.
