Its defense attorney Sam Adam junior’s 38th birthday today, and he’s hoping for one very important present; that the jury finds Rod Blagojevich not guilty. The jury got its lengthy instructions today, from judge James Zagel (It took a long time. I saw a few jurors yawning). Blago had his two daughters in court for deliberations, but today it was only his wife Patti.  The 53-year old former Illinois governor is facing a possible $6 million in fines and 415 years in prison for allegedly scheming to sell Barack Obama’s former senate seat. 

For the first time since trial began, Rod walked over to the table where his brother sits with his attorney, and began talking to him. There’s been obvious tension between the two, and little or no interaction. When I asked Robert later if their relationship had improved, Robert said “Its still strained”. A reporter asked if that was “strained with a capital S?” Robert said “yes”.
Sam Adam junior, who says he’s lost 32 pounds since May, due to his hard work on the Blago case, told the media “I love Rod Blagojevich….I will go to my grave being grateful to him”. Adam says his daughter was born prematurely and “is alive today” because of a state health program for children, supported and promoted by Blagojevich.

An always colorful Sam Adam senior told us “I believe Rod Blagojevich is innocent…he’s a lot of things, he may be a goof but he’s an innocent goof”.

Click here to see comments from Rod Blagojevich and his attorneys, to the media, after the jury began deliberations: