Judge Recommends Colorado Prison for Rod Blagojevich

By Jeralyn, Section Corruption Cases
Posted on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 03:53:46 PM EST
Tags: Rod Blagojevich (all tags)

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The judge in Rod Blagojevich's case has recommended to the Bureau of Prisons that he be designated to the low-level prison in Englewood, Colorado, outside of Denver. (BOP website for Englewood here.)

Blagojevich isn't eligible for a camp because his sentence exceeds 10 years. So a low security facility is the next best thing. Englewood is pretty decent. Lots of clients want to go there. (Here's the Commissary list.)It also has an adjacent camp which he can get to when he does qualify.

He may even find friends there. Enron's Jeffrey Skilling is serving his sentence at Englewood, and he doesn't get out until 2028.

A judge's recommendations are not binding on the Bureau of Prisons, so it's not a certainty that's where he will go. Bed space may play a role. The judge also extended Blago's surrender date until March 15, to give him more time to sell his home.

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Judge Recommends Colorado Prison for Rod Blagojevich | 25 comments (25 topical)

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I don't (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by lentinel on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 05:13:01 PM EST

really have a problem with Rod Blagojevich spending his time in a low-level prison is Englewood with a commissary list that includes green tea, granola bars, columbian coffee and raquet balls. Then he gets to go to a camp. After all, all he did was attempt to sell a seat in the United States Senate.

But I will admit I am still reeling from reading about the 20 year sentence handed to Rocrast Mack for selling $10 worth of crack.
Not only did he receive a sentence that was unconscionable, he was sentenced to spend it in a prison that was so dangerous that he wound up being beaten to death by guards.

This is admittedly subjective, but of the two crimes mentioned above, I consider Mack's to be the lesser one.

My fear of our judicial system is growing exponentially.

You be right (none / 0) (#9)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 09:39:22 PM EST

I Don't know (none / 0) (#12)
by TeresaInPa on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 06:52:45 AM EST

I could make the argument for or against what you say depending on my mood. I think drug dealers are the scum of the earth, I think people who buy and sell political office are the scum of the earth. Maybe they should all be housed together and see who is the bigger scum. Who ever comes out alive comes out alive.


Harsh... (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by kdog on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 07:55:59 AM EST

Are bartenders scum of the earth who should be sent to Thunderdome to see who comes out alive? Jeez.

Individuals in any line of work vary, but make no mistake...there are sellers of intoxicants who are salt of the earth, selling a product to willing customers...no different than a baker or grocer.


: Now You are Talking... (none / 0) (#23)
by ScottW714 on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 12:37:28 PM EST

...I on occasion pick up a friend's very strong pain meds because she can't. There's a couple of them I would love to see at the Thunderdome and while I don't want them to die, an injury or two severe enough they have to deal with getting their pain meds from an equally jackassy pharmacist would sit real well with me.

Yesterday's (none / 0) (#20)
by lentinel on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 08:56:32 AM EST

drug dealers are today's high fashion bartenders plying their trade at White House dinners.

(As kdog has noted below).


Yes, Those Pesky Drug Dealers.... (none / 0) (#24)
by ScottW714 on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 12:46:47 PM EST

...and their insistence on proving grown adults with what they want. Scum of the Earth I tell you, right there with every other Entrepreneur on the planet that provides things people want.

You may want to re-think that stance, seems like what you have an issue with is people taking drugs which isn't illegal. And let's not forget, Wallgreens sells just about every drug on the planet, they are drug dealers, ditto for the above mentioned bartenders, liquors store owners, cigar shops, coffee shops, and on and on.

Man, you sure think a lot of people are scum of the earth.


Cruel and stupid terms (5.00 / 2) (#2)
by koshembos on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 05:29:28 PM EST

Skilling will be in jail until 2028. When he comes out, he'll be an old man. He'll be broken, bitter, hopeless. Same goes for Blagojevich.

Society gain nothing from such sentences. It pays millions to warehouse people, feed them and keep them alive. I can think of much better ways to punish non-violent criminals.

I would much prefer (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by Zorba on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 06:41:04 PM EST

to see most of them sentenced to things like community service and some type of restitution. If they have money, they can also pay back their victims as part of the restitution, where appropriate. Trying to "make things right," in other words, or as "right" as they can make them. Perhaps some type of mental health therapy, if that seems called for. There may be some restriction of their movements in some cases- perhaps house arrest except when going to community jobs or to the grocery store, etc, maybe an ankle monitor in some cases. I don't necessarily want to see them get off scot-free and partying every night, but I don't see the point in locking them up for years and years. They can do some good for society, even if it's forced upon them.


Okay (none / 0) (#10)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 09:40:11 PM EST

What punishment would you pass out?


Why? (none / 0) (#13)
by TeresaInPa on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 07:15:15 AM EST

Why shouldn't the punishment fit the crime? He destroyed the lives of thousands of people all over the country. It was not just employees of Enron who were not allowed to take their money out of Enron as it crashed. It was also public employees in Florida and Pennsylvania who had their pensions invested heavily in Enron. Skilling should lose everything he has to pay back investors. But that can happen while he is in prison. And even at that, it would only be a drop in the bucket to what people lost.
As for Skippy from IL. I do feel a little bit more sorry for him, but at some point politicians have to have the fear of something or other put in to them. They operate as some sort of legal organized crime syndicate which we have to fear rather than the reverse. Let Blagojevich be the first of many. And don't call it unfair that he be made an example, what he did is still illegal.


Yep (none / 0) (#14)
by jbindc on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 07:23:32 AM EST

Skilling is no better than someone who walked into a bank with a gun and demanded all the money in the safe. Actually, he's worse. Who CARES if he's an old man when he gets out? He should have considered that before he did what he did.

As for Blago - who, what, and how much should be paid restitution? Should he work at a soup kitchen, where it will turn into a media circus, which will only serve to help in his quest for a talk show when his sentence is over?


Who cares? (none / 0) (#16)
by kdog on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 07:58:10 AM EST

I think all human beings of better nature should care...or else we're just racing to the gutter.


I reserve my sympathy (none / 0) (#18)
by jbindc on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 08:24:21 AM EST

For those who deserve it.

Skilling is not one of those people.


: F*ck Skilling & Blago... (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by kdog on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 09:07:30 AM EST

I'm talking about us...we the people of these United States. What is done in our names, on our dimes...namely being the world's #1 incarcerator by a mile.

: So then (none / 0) (#22)
by sj on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 09:51:38 AM EST

sympathy is a finite resource?

Not only the CA pensions (none / 0) (#19)
by ruffian on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 08:30:50 AM EST

but the recall of Gov. Gray Davis and election of Gov. Ahnold would not have happened without Enron's energy price manipulations there.


And what did society gain from Jeff Skilling OUT (none / 0) (#17)
by ruffian on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 08:00:03 AM EST

of prison?

No sympathy here.


You Can't Possibly Think Skilling & Blogo.. (none / 0) (#25)
by ScottW714 on Wed Dec 14, 2011 at 01:12:40 PM EST

... are one in the same, one aided in the collapse of a company that cost thousands their entire life savings, and he did if very much for personal gain.

I would also argue he could be a danger to society, maybe not physically, but certainly financially.

Blago is an entire different beast, he didn't profit, at least financially, and although I disagree with the term victimless, they certainly aren't any real victims.

Skilling & Co left a lot of real victims.

If anything Skilling is closer to Ebbers or Madoff.


The local news is reporting... (none / 0) (#3)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 06:34:08 PM EST

...that his family isn't planning on moving here. Wonder why. Seems like a "fresh start" out West might be beneficial for his wife and daughters?

Actual headline at the Post:

If Littleton federal prison is the pick, Blagojevich can keep his hairstyle

Also, not to nitpick, but the facility is named FCI Englewood, but it is located in Littleton as the BOC website link reflects.

the mailing address is (none / 0) (#7)
by Jeralyn on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 08:54:22 PM EST

Littleton but the name is FCI Englewood. It's just south of Hampden on Kipling.


: Yep. (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 09:35:55 PM EST

The ex used to live just NW of there when we were dating. Been by it more times than I can count. Quincy was how we got from Kipling to Wads...
I've hit a few golf balls on to the property while playing Foothills. I didn't get those back!

Maybe someday (none / 0) (#5)
by Edger on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 07:26:19 PM EST

he'll have a few wall street ceo's for company?

: It seems like Corzine might be more (none / 0) (#6)
by tigercourse on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 07:57:47 PM EST

deserving of prison then Blagovich is - that is if it knew anything about the misuse of client funds.

Judicial recommendations for specific facilities (none / 0) (#11)
by Peter G on Tue Dec 13, 2011 at 09:51:08 PM EST

in the federal system used to be followed by the Bureau of Prisons over 80% of the time. Now it's more like 60%, due to overcrowding, and the more specific the judge's reasoning for the recommendation the more likely it is to be followed. A prominent defendant (particularly one who had a local power base) is exempt from the normal 500-mile rule (the federal BOP tries to keep prisoners within 500 miles of home), and will instead be sent "out of region." Thus, a recommendation to a joint in Colorado for a Chicago political figure makes sense. In my last two such cases, a former Philadelphia politician was designated to a federal prison in Eastern Kentucky, and a former deputy commissioner of the Phila police was designated to a federal prison in northern Texas.