From the Chicago Sun-Times

Government scores win in prosecution of Ryan
January 16, 2004
BY STEVE WARMBIR Federal Courts Reporter

In a key strategic victory for prosecutors, a federal judge ruled Thursday
that former Gov. George Ryan and his friend, Republican businessman Lawrence
Warner, will face trial together on corruption charges early in 2005.
Warner, under indictment for 17 months, wanted to go it alone at trial next
month, as scheduled. But that would have meant the men having separate
trials.
Ryan was charged and added to Warner's indictment in December, so there was
no way Ryan's legal team could be prepared for trial by February.
Prosecutors allege that Ryan took cash, loans and trips for himself or his
family from friends while he was secretary of state and governor. Those
friends, including Warner, reaped millions of dollars from state contracts
due to their influence with Ryan, prosecutors say.
If Warner had been put on trial first, it could have given both men
strategic advantages, legal experts said.
With separate trials, both men could have more readily cast blame on the
other.
The criminal cases against both are extremely similar. So if Warner had gone
first, Ryan would have had a full preview of the criminal case against him.
Warner argued in court papers the longer it takes him to go to trial, the
more he and his family are subjected to stress and financial havoc. Some of
the delay in Warner's trial, however, is due to Warner asking for
continuances because of his lead attorney's need to take time off for
surgery.
U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer found that delaying Warner's trial
until 2005 would not result in any great unfairness.
What's more, having two trials, instead of one, would eat up 10 months of
the courtroom's time, given the complexity of the case. That would disrupt
the court's schedule for other cases and tax the resources of the U.S.
attorney's office, the judge said.
Pallmeyer wrote she would prefer a fall 2004 trial date, but that's not
possible because Ryan's attorney, Dan Webb, has another complex case
scheduled for trial then.