Defendants in the ComEd 4 corruption trial listen as the federal jury reads its verdict. (Courtroom sketch courtesy of L.D.Chukman)
By Brett Rowland | The Center Square
Prosecutors are seeking life sentences for four former Commonwealth Edison leaders convicted of conspiring to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, a defense attorney said.
A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request from defense attorneys to delay sentencing.
Defense attorneys had asked for more time to deal with what they said were complex issues regarding sentencing guidelines. At a hearing Wednesday, defense attorney Patrick Cotter said prosecutors would be seeking life sentences for the defendants.
“The government apparently is going to suggest that the guidelines of this case are life,” Cotter said. “And we are asking for what we believe to be adequate time, a couple extra weeks, to respond not only to the [pre-sentencing report] but to what the government files when they’re asking to put our clients in jail for life. And I think that that’s not unreasonable.”
U.S. District Court Judge Judge Harry Leinenweber disagreed. He noted the four were convicted more than six months ago and still have additional time before the sentencing hearings scheduled for January.
“It seems to me that there’s adequate time to get ready for sentencing without moving the date,” he said Wednesday.
Prosecutors had proposed shifting dates for some pre-sentencing court filings, but the prosecution’s schedule would keep the sentencing dates as previously set.
Prosecutors have yet to file sentencing memos for any of the defendants.
Any significant amount of time behind bars for the defendants could amount to life in prison given their ages. The youngest was 64 years old.
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