The jury found Rod R. Blagojevich, the ousted former governor of Illinois, guilty of one count out of 24. The jury decided that Mr. Blagojevich made false statements to the FBI. The court has declared a mistrial on the other counts. The government says, it will retry the case.

Everybody who thought that the former Illinois governor was a goner, was on his way to do big time in the big house, should thank God for the Magna Carta. Trial by jury, not by the press. The government must prove its case to twelve citizens.

I am not going to comment on the merits of the case just on the fact that the government failed to prove its case. So what if the jury was deadlocked on all but one count? And on one serious count the tally was 11 to 1 for conviction? The government's obligation is to prove its case. An 11 to 1 vote proves nothing. I wasn't in the court every day, I didn't hear the evidence, but it is possible for that one juror to be right and the other eleven wrong.

Mr. Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the United States attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, who raided the Governor's mansion in the early hours one morning and practically duck-walked the governor out before the camera, claiming the public embarrassment was necessary. The feds couldn't wait to arrest the governor at a more appropriate time, in a more dignified manner because -- So Fitzgerald could look like a tough guy? Mr. Fitzgerald --  Well, his attitude was that arresting Blagojevich was like arresting Al Capone. I think the gentleman was stretching.

Mr Fitzgerald should step down and go far away.