and don't forget that judge james zagel has a background in state government as well he served as the director of the illinois department of law enforcement and the james r. thompson administration so one of the things that has not been discussed so far is that james zagel has tremendous respect as to how state government is designed to function. government did function during those times in years in stark contrast to rod blagojevich as term's term vs. thompson's >>remember everyone in the senate was voting to impeach the governor saying that he was not doing his job but doing a job that was triggering impeachable offenses ... one of the things he grabbed heading out of the capitol office was his hair brush! and we remember him trying to reach out to that first jury in his first case. >>he said himself " i never set out to break the law or cross those lines >>and he also said that he should've known better as governor and that he was so incredibly sorry that was a statement from this morning this is something we have not seen from him before ... >>we are hearing from the court room fr

tony rezko last month 10 and a half years that a very high bar so judge james zagel looking at a state that is bankrupt with a penchant mass at the national laughingstock in part of rod blagojevich add jobs at contract appointments legislation all for sale and exchange for campaign cash and other favors you put the two together and he is going to build on what the judge said to tony rezko enough is enough and a sentence of more than 10 years top lieutenants told me it background today he predicted 12-15 years. and i think that is a fairgrange the stiffest sentence anybody in the political corruption case since judge thomas maloney during the great lord god 15 years as he fixed murder cases tactical error on the defense team? blagojevich? the side to only say that something was done that was wrong? not an apology from him but today for the first time the defense team said a crime committed >> all of the concessions by the defense the letters from mrs. blagojevich the daughters to talk about what a nice guy a great father he was all that window dressing in does not go to have much of a b

it does not matter what you got or did not get its what you tried to do >>judge james zagel weighed in on the defense argument that it was the governor's staff that directed much of the legal activity and a sharply worded rebuke said that rod blagojevich promised his staff nothing in was only interested in his own personal gain ... >>we have terry sullivan our political analyst with us >>you have to think that the judge has already set things that are devastating and the effort of the blagojevich camp to get a leanermore lenient sentence >>the guidelines call for 30 years to life. the judge has just found that he agrees with that although he did say that it's not appropriate in this case ... but what has what he has said so far on the record has not been helpful to the defense >>the defense team said that this was merely a fund-raising exercise on behalf of the former gov. and his staff. and the judge is saying that it doesn't matter what you're asking foyou received but rather what you are asking for and how you went about it >>the probation department recommended 11 steps and the jud

united states spend judge james zagel more than an hour p rating to blagojevich defense team for last-minute request to have several more tapes played in open court prior to sentencing. the judge says inappropriate for them to file the request on thanksgiving day courts closed and he says the former governor already had his chance to prove innocence. at one point the judge said in light of the history of the case the defendant was the only one who could have won the case and had to do this from the witness stand >> the government and defense try to work out something wed these cases can be played in open court and i honestly believe the government wants to hold an open hearing as to be >> legal analyst terry sullivan >> pretty surprising the way the judge went into the defense. after all simply asking for a couple of the tapes that the judge did not allowed and the trial a lot of things are not allowed in trial allowed in sentencing >> says tough with the hearing will meet for blagojevich sentence but certainly not a positive turn up with the former governor. >> on the other hand judge james

was the governor and i should have known better and i am just so incredibly sorry, he told judge james zagel, adding, i would hope you could find some mercy. but the judge scolded blagojevich for abusing the public trust. the fabric of illinois is torn, disfigured. you did that damage, he said. >> if there is a public official out there thinking of committing a crime, boy, they ought to be thinking twice. >> reporter: for the past three years the man who became known as blago at times seemed to revel in the spotlight. appearing in a commercial. >> rod blagojevich, how are you? >> reporter: even on reality tv. today as he left court the former governor tried to summon some of that bravado. >> we're going to keep fighting on through this adversity and see you soon. >> reporter: he has until february to report to prison. he will become the fourth illinois governor in the last four decades to do time. ron allen, nbc news, chicago. >>> the weather is in the news tonight. specifically a big change heading right for a lot of folks in the eastern half of the nation. tonight nbc's janice huff joins u

williamcellini are appealing the case based on that discovery at a hearing today federal judge james zagel said the reporter did not have to turn over her notes because the juror did not say anything of merit ... >>it is now illegal to sell synthetic marijuana products and chicago the herbal products are commonly sold as an cents under the names of " k-2 " and head trip businesses that sit still sell them can be fined $1,000 and lose their licenses to operate city officials and illinois attorney general lisa madigan said that the products are dangerous and need to be removed from store shelves ... >>and nationwid statewide ban on synthetic marijuana takes effect new year's day >>chicago is a new curfew law has led to more violations. police say they caught more than 4700 children, member 18th-december 5th. that is 600 more than that same period last year. the new law set curfew for children younger than 12 years old at 8:30 p.m. sunday- thursday and 9:00 p.m. on friday and saturday police say more than 200 children younger than 12 years old but violating first curfew in the past few months

long prison term 15-20 years blagojevich and his defense team will try to convince federal judge james zagel to be more lenient when the sentencing hearing gets underway tomorrow semaphore the man known as the leading bandit may get away with a string of bank robberies authorities do not arrest in charges and the deadline is just days away marcella raymond is live from wieden with the story >>he rob 16 banks over five years and then nothing the last in 2006 on wednesday the statute of limitations for the last robbery will run out and then wheaton banned it may not ever pay for his crimes >>the fbi and local authorities have today's to catch this man these pictures are from surveillance video ... he hit this west suburban bank in wheat and three times in 60 days this woman was a teller at the drive up window for one of those robberies >>i heard him yell get over here and bring that money and there was a man they're pointing the gun >>all three employees involved had to turn over their money >>he seemed nervous and i did not want him to be so nervous he pulled the trigger on us he scared me to

tribune broke the information defense attorneys notes with her federal judge today federal judge james zagel rolled out reporters to not have to hand in notes because a juror in question candy chiles not say anything of merit. first they bought wrigley field now land around the ballpark purchased the plot across the street the map and the corner lot highlighted in red clark and addison st. land bought from mcdonald's corp. for $20 million mcdonald's restaurant sits there and out the park will also close a large parking lot land to feed it to families plant to owned a round wrigley field no word on development plans. >> whatever development is proposed on this mcdonald's lot goes through a community process zoning of this relatively low consistent with everything else or around clark street. so it is going to be hopefully a well thought out sensitive to the community at all sot important for the chicago cubs and their developments moving forward. >> hotel skywalk restaurant all ideas passed around agreement includes a mcdonald's restaurant. protestors have rights according to the mayor but so

convicted ex governor and convicted felon rod blagojevich back in court tomorrow morning judge james zagel considering present recommendation from defense team. the hearing starts at 11:00 a.m. rod blagojevich convicted of corruption and misconduct in office trying to sell president obama seat in the united states senate. must report to prison by february 16th to began 14 years behind bars. garfield park woman who abandoned her dog charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty after the animal was beaten. lashon johnson told 18 year-old son to let the dog go because landlord that new@n apartment to not allow pets. dog followed to new place howled and barked for hours only to be abused by several kids wielding baseball bats and broomsticks. lashon johnson claims she called animal care officials but they said it would take two weeks for authorities to pick the dog got car fleet in stable condition tonight. tribune investigative series dangerous taxicab drivers and inability to keep the bulk of the road a major problem and will propose sweeping reforms today taxi industry changes limiting drivers t

in illinois government lawyers for rod blagojevich counted with the 69 page filing asking judge james zagel for compassion represent children rod blagojevich. former federal prosecutor patrick collins who put governor george ryan behind bars thinks has made it easy for the judge to go hard on him >> hard for me to see a way that blagojevich can get under 10 or less than 15 years particularly adding to the market that rod blagojevich remains unrepentant. and he continues to not just a protest his innocence but also essentially engaged in name- calling with prosecutors >> blagojevich is sentenced to be sentenced scheduled to be sentenced next tuesday >> legal setback or accused wife killer drew peterson illinois supreme court ordered a lower court to consider whether to admit hearsay evidence so- called voices from the great the testimony. >> illinois supreme court hearsay matter sent back to appellate court with no opinion offered. doing this only adding to the case they already say back to 2009 with peterson arrest and drew peterson remains behind bars longer. >> the thing i do not like is