If George Ryan's onetime chief of s...

If George Ryan's onetime chief of staff Scott Fawell is serving 6oe years in prison, shouldn't the former governor do more time?

That's at least single of the arguments prosecutors will advance in what's rely uponed to be a highly charged sentencing hearing Wednesday before U District referee Rebecca Pallmeyer.

further Ryan's lawyers say anything more than 30 month for the 72- year-old former governor battling diabetes and Crohn's disease could suffer to be a life decision

Fawell was convicted in 2003 of public corruption charges committed beneath Ryan.

Ryan, the top schemer of the crime, should get by heart the longer sentence, prosecutors say. They argue he merits the top of the eight- to 10-year range calculated by means of the U.S. Probation Office.

"It would create an unreasonable sentencing disparity if Ryan, an picked constitutional officer holding the highest office in the state, received a less sentence than the 78-month dogma imposed by this Court forward his right-hand man, Scott Fawell, who typically acted at Ryan's direction," prosecutors wrote in a filing last week.

Reached at place of abode Ryan snapped when asked if he speculation he would actually spend time in prison: "I just got end saying I'm not going to commentary on that," he said.

He did say he was prepared to be in court.

LIMITED MEANS

"I'll be there upon Wednesday and will be there in court and we'll diocese what happens," Ryan said.

Ryan's lawyers say he is a man of "limited means" who didn't profit from leases and contracts. Prosecutors say he did profit and lobbyists and business family bankrolled his lifestyle while he was in office.

"The Ryans live forward Social Security payments and Ryan's state pension. There are no large bank or brokerage accounts, expensive art or expensive vacation homes" Ryan lawyers wrote

Ryan's defense estimated to costliness $10 million to $15 million, was donated to him at former Winston & Strawn chairman and former Gov James R Thompson who lately stepped down as the firm's chairman.

Prosecutors are also battling the defense beseech that Ryan be allowed to delay serving any prison tenet until his appeal has conclud Defense lawyers say that a dense mass hangs over Ryan's verdict after jury deliberations were interrupted after eight days and couple jurors were removed for failing to disclose criminal backgrounds. The newly formed jury brought back a conviction against Ryan and businessman Lawrence Warner forward 22 counts.

U District connoisseur Ruben Castillo, who sits onward the Federal Sentencing Commission, said a referee is supposed to carefully weigh a ask to be free on cord pending appeal under a strict standard guided by the Bail Reform Act. A defendant has to point out to there were substantial problems with the verdict and that it could be revers Castillo said.

"If she unrestraineds him on bond," Castillo said, "then she's sending a sign to the court of appeals that there's a point in dispute with that conviction."

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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