Rod Blagojevich

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has asked a judge to nullify the lone conviction in his mostly deadlocked corruption trial, saying the jury's decision was underpinned by errors at trial and misconduct by prosecutors.Trial Judge James Zagel should override jurors' verdict and acquit Blagojevich of lying to the FBI or set it aside and try him again on that charge, defense attorneys said in a motion filed at the U.S. District Court in Chicago."The fact is that the government knew — and knows — that Blagojevich was not lying to the FBI," says the motion, filed late Monday. "The conviction in this case is not legally sound."If Zagel refuses to toss the conviction — which many legal observers say is likely — then the multiple arguments in the filing could lay the groundwork for any appeal to a higher court.At the end of a two-and-a-half month trial, jurors convicted the impeached governor on just one of 24 counts against him. Prosecutors told the judge they will try Blagojevich again on...

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