NCJ Number
52292
Date Published
1978
Length
267 pages
Annotation
THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE RACETRACK BRIBERY TRIAL OF FEDERAL JUDGE AND FORMER ILLINOIS GOVERNOR OTTO KERNER ARE DESCRIBED, ALONG WITH THE TRIAL ITSELF WITH EMPHASIS ON PROSECUTORIAL MOTIVATIONS AND METHODS.
Abstract
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ILLINOIS MACHINE POLITICS IS TRACED, BEGINNING WITH ANTON 'THE BOSS' CERMAK, BUILDER OF THE CHICAGO MACHINE AND THE FATHER-IN-LAW OF OTTO KERNER. THIS BECOMES THE BACKGROUND FOR DISCUSSING THE DETAILS OF THE RACETRACK STOCK BRIBERY SCANDAL PRECIPITATED BY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY MARJE EVERETT, THE OWNER OF THE STOCK IN QUESTION AT THE TIME IT WAS TRANSFERRED TO KERNER, ALLEGEDLY WITH BRIBERY IMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF RACETRACK OPERATIONS. THE DECISION TO GO AFTER KERNER TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHERS SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCANDAL IS PORTRAYED AS A POLITICAL DECISION ORCHESTRATED BY THE WHITE HOUSE. JAMES 'BIG JIM' THOMPSON, THE CHIEF FEDERAL PROSECUTOR IN THE TRIAL, IS VIEWED AS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED IN HIS DECISIONMAKING IN THE PREPARATION AND CONDUCT OF THE TRIAL. THE COURSE OF THE TRIAL AND BEHIND THE SCENES PROSECUTORIAL MACHINATIONS ARE DETAILED IN A STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS. IT IS INDICATED THAT GRAND JURIES WERE MISUSED, THE PRESS WAS TURNED INTO AN UNKNOWING ALLY OF THE PROSECUTION, AND THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS WERE DISREGARDED. HARASSMENT OF POTENTIAL KEY WITNESSES AND WILLFUL FAILURE TO PROSECUTE POWERFUL ATTORNEYS AND WELL-KNOWN LEGISLATORS ARE ALSO DOCUMENTED AS PART OF THE POLITICS OF THE PROSECUTION. THUS, THE THEME DEVELOPED THROUGH THE PRESENTED DOCUMENTATION IS THE PROSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL JUDICIAL SYSTEM FOR POLITICAL GAIN AND PERSONAL PROFIT. THE APPENDIX INCLUDES DOCUMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRIAL. (RCB)