By LORRAINE SWANSON
Editor
Defendants, their attorneys, assistant state’s attorneys and their respective entourages all showed up at Room 706 in the Cook County Criminal Courts building at 26th and California on Tuesday, Dec. 1, for the continuation of the 50th Ward vote fraud trial, only to be told “not to get comfortable.”
Another trial, in which the defendant was acting as his own attorney, was taking place with no end in sight.
Former 50th Ward Superintendent Anish Eapen and campaign worker Armando Ramos are on trial for multiple felony counts that allegedly tampered with absentee ballots favoring Ald. Berny Stone (50th Ward) in the 2007 aldermanic race.
The trial has been rescheduled to resume at 11 a.m. Dec. 8 and Dec. 9. While rescheduling, Eapen’s attorney, Tom Breen, submitted a motion for a directed finding on the basis that prosecutors have failed to present evidence directly tying Eapen to any wrong doing.
Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Lynn McCarthy told Lake Effect News that prosecutors will continue bringing witnesses to the stand and probably won’t rest their case until Wednesday. When prosecutors do rest their case, expect them to argue the defense’s motion for a direct verdict, or dismissal of charges against Eapen.
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