Blagojevich's Drug Problem? Lawyers Request Treatment That Could Shorten Sentence

As if former Governor Rod Blagojevich didn't have enough to worry about,

ABC Chicago reports that the ex-governor's attorneys have asked for Blagojevich to be placed in a residential drug abuse program during his prison sentence. They say they can document a pattern of substance abuse in the 12 months before the former governor was arrested in December of 2008.

The plan may have come from Scott Fawell, chief of staff of former Illinois Governor George Ryan, who is currently serving time after being convicted on 18 corruption charges in 2006. Fawell, who served 78 months for his part in Ryan's corruption, says his prison time was shortened by a year and a half based on credit he earned for completing a nine-month program while inside. He recommended Blagojevich do the same.

"What you do is say that in between the time you're sentenced and the time you report, you just couldn't stop drinking," Fawell told the Chicago Sun-Times. "I didn't want to do it at first. I said: 'I'm going to save a little shred of dignity. But it's the only game in town. It's the only way you can get time off" in the federal system, he said.

Fawell told the Sun-Times that this option was explained to him by a prison counselor when he began his sentence -- and he called the Blagojevich defense team last week to discuss the option.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Cramer told ABC Chicago that Blagojevich's attorneys will have to prove their client's substance abuse problem predates the decision that granted him a 14 year sentence.

"It wasn't mentioned during the first trial, it wasn't mentioned during the the second trial at all, even when he testified, so I think that you have look at that a little skeptically," Cramer said.

Blagojevich's prison report date was already pushed back one month by Judge James Zagel Tuesday. The former governor requested extra time before beginning his sentence to help his family move.

Comments

[Jaguar8450]

06:54 PM on 12/16/2011

Cut a deal with him...Tell him to get out his gym short and Keds and if he can climb the gym rope to the top within a certain time period he can get a "Get out of Jail" card for free....Which would be one extra day off his sentence valid during Leap year only.

[rsgreyfox1]

05:03 AM on 12/16/2011

LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Suddenly he has a drug problem? Who do they think they are kidding?

He gets this con- job, and beats any portion of his 14 years, then he is paying
someone off. ...and I don' t mean his lawyer.

Roddy, forget the phony rehab game...your playmates are waiting. . .

[schubidoo5]

03:50 AM on 12/16/2011

He wants house arrest? OK. Put him in a house on the South Side of Chicago, tell him he can walk arround the neighborhood all he wants, and we'll see if he serves out those 14 years.

[ARCHIETBUNKER]

03:28 AM on 12/16/2011

Did not know there was a rehab place for STUPID

[sworth5487]

11:16 PM on 12/15/2011

Where was this claim since he was arrested? I'm sick and tired of people like him getting to call the shots and dictate his own terms. He needs to just do the time and get it over with like any other thief.

[JoAnnisn]

08:49 PM on 12/15/2011

This is an outrage!

This twit should Go To Jail...Go Directly to Jail...Do not collect $200.00!!

He should have gone straight to prison when the jury found him guilty. He's had far too much free time already!

[sailboatboy1]

08:35 PM on 12/15/2011

I am having a hard time with this whole celebrity sentencing. Tried,,,Convicted,,,ohhhh but let me go home and talk to my kids,,,ohhh give me longer to help move the family... WTF any normal person would have had their orange jumpsuit waiting for them after the trial. ..But lets not talk about that,,,Lets find more excuses to not go to jail or shave time off,,ohhhh and give autographs outside the court house,,,PLZZZZZZZZZ

[gregbelter]

08:20 PM on 12/15/2011

RODNEY The boys are waiting for you!

[thepetermedic]

07:42 PM on 12/15/2011

your hair problem is bigger than your so called drug problem

[mraynie]

06:32 PM on 12/15/2011

Narcissism is not a treatable substance abuse problem. Make this joker serve all 14 years! This state is such a mess and he helped contribute to it.

[mmmbabyilikethat]

07:21 PM on 12/15/2011

couldnt agree more.....maybe they should go after his wife as well.

[mcinnisja]

06:30 PM on 12/15/2011

Somebody's got to PhotoShop this guy so we can see what he looks like without that silly hair.

[Scott Moguns]

06:23 PM on 12/15/2011

Hey if would cut my time in the " big house" I would go for it too, but this slug really needs to spend a lot of time in jail.
I hope he never gets out...

[snorinlorin]

06:20 PM on 12/15/2011

What a loser.The sad thing is, Washington is full of the same kind of people.

[sworth5487]

11:19 PM on 12/15/2011

The really sad part is, when he gets out he'll probably go back to politics and be elected to do it all over again.

[oceanwave]

06:07 PM on 12/15/2011

Blagojevich needs to be a man and take his punishment like one but that is hard for him, he is a con artist and thinks that whatever he does is right. His family can move very well without him. This is ridiculous the need to attend a treatment program, anything to attempt to get his sentence reduced which will not happen.

[Getting it right]

06:02 PM on 12/15/2011

This is not his final plea. He will soon be pleading with people much larger and stronger than him in a cell.