Chicago Corruption Trial Gets Weird With “I was good when I was a little boy” Defense

In one of the more bizarre opening statements I have heard about in a long time, a jury in the corruption case of a life-long friend of former Cook County (which encompasses Chicago) Board President heard how the highly-educated 49-year old man was still “little Geno” the 7-year old South Side Boy who “loved sports and “defended other kids from bullies.”

Eugene Mullins - he was a good kid

The Sun Times reports that Eugene Mullins’ attorney “even brought the imaginary boy into court to meet jurors Monday afternoon.

 

In a bizarre opening statement at the start of what’s expected to be a two-week trial, Richardson mimed as if he was holding the hand of a four-decades younger Mullins.

He looked down to where the imaginary boy was standing beside him and adopted a child-like voice, telling jurors that “Geno sought the attention and approval of his parents,” before taking the imaginary child for a walk in front of the jury box.”

Seriously.  That's the best he had.  That’s what a licensed attorney went with in a straight-forward corruption case where Mullins, a former Chicago police officer used his former position as Stoger’s spokesman to get his associates four county contacts then demanded kickbacks worth nearly $35,000.  Allegedly, the contractors were not qualified or didn’t intend to do the work.

The Sun Times also reports that "In another piece of theatrics, he then bounded around Judge Amy St. Eve’s courtroom, mimicking the actions of multiple county bureaucrats who signed off on the contracts, telling jurors that Mullins was simply “doing his job.”"

Should be an interesting trial.  Maybe he is trying to amuse the jurors to the point that they decide the show was worth it and let his guy off.  Maybe that's the best evidence they've got since three of the guys who allegedly did the bribing are going to testify against Mullins.  The opening was unorthodox to say the least.