Rezko lousy witness?, Rezko bad for Blagojevich and Obama, Judge Zagel

From the Chicago Tribune June 29, 2010.

“Judge: There’s a word for witnesses like Rezko”

“One big question hanging over the trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been whether his convicted fundraiser, Antoin “Tony” Rezko, would appear at these proceedings to testify against his old friend. Rezko, now imprisoned at a federal facility in Wisconsin, has been cooperating with government agents since shortly after his 2008 conviction.
 
It’s still not certain whether Rezko will testify, but at a hearing before testimony resumed today, U.S. District Judge James Zagel strongly suggested that Rezko would make a lousy government witness.

Zagel said there was a word to describe witnesses like Rezko who damage whatever side calls them to testify. That, said Zagel, “generally explains why they’re not called.”  Zagel refrained from actually saying what the word was, leaving the suggestion it was less than polite.”

“Schar said that Rezko has since recanted the letter and provided “a certain amount of information that incriminates Blagojevich.”

All of this talk occurred outside the earshot of jurors, but defense lawyers would like the jury to hear about the Rezko letter. Zagel said he would wait until after Balanoff takes the stand to rule whether the letter can be brought up. ”

Read more:

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/blagojevich-on-trial/2010/06/judge-theres-a-word-for-witnesses-like-rezko.html

“There’s a word for witnesses like Rezko”

Incriminating

For

Blagojevich

And

Obama