CHICAGO (WBBM/AP/CBS 2) -- Former Governor James Thompson says he hopes to take former Governor George Ryan's case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Ryan has lost his bid for a fresh appeals court hearing on his racketeering and fraud conviction. Ryan will be forced to report to prison by Nov.7th if he is not granted an appeal bond by U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer. Ryan is scheduled to appear before Judge Pallmeyer Friday morning.
A three-judge panel already turned down Ryan's appeal, and he's been out on bond since being convicted of racketeering and fraud more than a year ago.
Thompson says getting a fair jury trial is the most fundamental right under the U.S. Constitution, and he says he plans to argue that Ryan didn't get that.
Thompson also says that he'll ask that Ryan remain free on bond while they wait to hear if the Supreme Court will take his case
Two months ago, by a 2-1 vote, the 3-judge appeals court panel upheld the conviction and he then appealed to the full court.
Now, that ruling has gone against him as well and Kent college law professor Richard Kling says Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer will almost certainly order him to prison.
Professor Kling says it's highly unlikely the U.S. supreme court will agree to hear Ryan's appeal.
The 73-year-old Republican was convicted of steering state contracts to well-connected cronies, using state money to run his campaigns and killing an investigation of drivers license bribery.
Previously, Judge Pallmeyer, the trial judge, said Ryan and co-defendant Larry Warner must report to prison within four business days if their appeal was declined.
U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald issued the following statement on the matter: “We are pleased that the full Court of Appeals has decided to let stand the initial careful opinion of the panel majority, which held that the defendants received a fair trial.
"Even the three judges voting to rehear the appeal agreed with the majority of judges that ‘the evidence of the defendants’ guilt was overwhelming.’
"Ryan and Warner were convicted of serious crimes in awarding state leases and contracts that were steered illegally in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in benefits for Warner and Ryan, including financial support for Ryan’s successful 1998 gubernatorial campaign.”
Ryan has been with his family at his Kankakee home since the conviction.
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