Guardian snip:
Thursday August 12, 2004 3:46 PM
CHICAGO (AP) - A judge declined to throw out conspiracy and fraud charges against former Gov. George Ryan and rejected a co-defendant's request for a separate trial.
In the opinion Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer also declined to dismiss charges against the co-defendant, Lawrence Warner.
Ryan has pleaded innocent to racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud, tax fraud, filing false tax returns and making false statements. A former lobbyist, Warner has pleaded innocent to charges alleging he pocketing about $3 million from contracts steered to his clients by Ryan.
Warner's attorneys requested a separate trial because they said the former governor's unpopularity could prevent a fair trial for their client. The trial is tentatively scheduled to begin in March.
More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4414353,00.html