According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a hearing has been set for Oct. 6 to determine how much prison time the former governor should serve. Character witnesses will testify, including Blagojevich himself.During the proceedings, the judge presiding in his case, James Zagel, will also rule on a motion for a new trial from the former governor.
Blagojevich was convicted in June of 17 of 20 charges, including trying to sell an appointment to the U.S. Senate seat that opened after the election of President Barack Obama. His first trial last year on similar allegations of corruption ended with the jury finding him guilty of lying to the FBI and undecided on 23 other charges.
Last week, he filed a motion for a retrial, accusing Zagel of bias and prosecutors of framing him. He faulted the court for allowing only portions of federal wiretaps of his phone conversations to be presented as evidence, an argument he likewise used in his first two trials.
A Democrat and former congressman, Blagojevich was impeached as governor in 2009 after a unanimous vote from the the Illinois Senate. He was indicted the same year along with his brother and former chief of staff John Harris for accepting political contributions from state contractors in a conspiracy with convicted lobbyist Tony Rezko. The indictment included his associate Alonzo Monk and fundraisers William Cellini and Christopher Kelly
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