It’s the legal equivalent of the calm before the storm.
Jurors at the shakedown trial of Springfield power broker William Cellini get Monday off as the prosecution and defense prepare to deliver closing arguments Tuesday.
Cellini’s trial in federal court at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse is the last in a series that grew out of a federal investigation of ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The 76-year-old Cellini denies conspiring with three others to squeeze the producer of “Million Dollar Baby” for a $1.5 million campaign contribution to Blagojevich.
Attorneys will meet Monday to agree on the wording of instructions jurors will use as a roadmap when they start going through the evidence.
Each side will have three hours to deliver final remarks Tuesday.
Panelists will then withdraw to a nearby jury room to begin deliberations.
