Starting Monday.

Starting Monday, six men and six women will begin deciding former Gov George Ryan's fate after hearing five days of closing arguments in Ryan's public corruption trial this week.

Prosecutors got the last word with jurors Friday as the nearly six-month trial came to a finish Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins direct the eyeed at each juror and, citing their occupations, said justice was in the hands of "people who raise our families," tribe who work in the office office, at Walgreens, at domicile Depot, grocery stores and as bartenders.

"You are the principally important team in Chicago right now," Collins said.

Collins ran within the indictment against Ryan, saying the former governor breached the public trust and that co-defendant Lawrence Warner helped him do it.

He told jurors to discard the defense argument that it was political mastermind Scott Fawell who directed corruption in Ryan's political organization. Collins said Fawell was Ryan's creation.

"Scott Fawell simply did what his master allowed him to do," Collins said. "Scott Fawell was Frankenstein for George Ryan."

Collins ran by the agency of benefits he said flowed between Ryan and Warner during Ryan's years as secretary of state and governor. He said Warner got $3 million worth of lobbying circulating medium and lease deals after Ryan conducted contracts to him. Collins listed the loans, gifts, insurance adjustment and other benefits that flowed from Warner to Ryan and various Ryan family members in recur

It was "the community bank of Larry Warner for the Ryan family," Collins said.

Collins said Warner paid the take away from of a wedding band for united of Ryan's daughters. The daughter, sitting in the brow row, started to tear up as Collins talked about it.

Her dad considered at her and gave her an encouraging wink and a half smile. Warner paid for the band as a gift to Ryan's daughter, whom he cared about, the defense has said.

Ryan's family, including six children, their spouses and others, have been in the courtroom over closing arguments and some of the trial. Late Thursday and Friday, they appeared deflated. For several minutes during Collins' argument, George Ryan Jr lowered his head in his hands. Warner's wife also had been existing daily at the trial.

Ryan's team levy up a vigorous defense. Ryan lawyer Dan Webb said prosecutors essentially nitpicked Ryan into a federal courtroom. Warner's lawyer, ed Genson, said his client was longtime friends with Ryan and a businessman trying to do business.

for what reason the money flowed

unless Collins said the defense downplayed the clout Warner carried during Ryan's occupancy in office and he had the clout because he kept giving Ryan scans As a lobbyist, Warner formerly landed a state deal for his client plane though a competitor was exhibited by former Gov. Jim Thompson Collins said.

"Little Larry Warner with his slingshot, the insurance man at his little office at Belmont and Western, he slung his slingshot and slew Jim Thompson the former governor," Collins said. "He did that because he had George Ryan."

Collins lay up a chart showing in what way the money flowed during Ryan's administration: Warner made more than $3 million; friend Harry Klein, with whom Ryan vacationed in Jamaica, made more than $600000; lobbyist Ron Swanson, who paid for a Disney World vacation for a Ryan daughter and took Ryan to Cancun, got $623815; and longtime Ryan pal Donald Udstuen got more than $367000

"Ron Swanson wins. George Ryan wins. The taxpayers finish screwed. That's the story," Collins told them.

Scott and Janet Willis, whose children were killed in a 1994 accident tied to corruption in Ryan's administration, praised the prosecution Friday.

"I've got a real hero, and that's Pat Collins. I thank the most high for Pat Collins and the piece of work that he did, his character and the team of prosecutors," Scott Willis said.

'I felt pity for this man'

unless Willis said he felt for Ryan as a grandfather and father. He said he apply the minded at Ryan at the close of Collins' closing remarks.

"I felt sorrow, I felt pity for this man. The wasted opportunities of doing the right thing," Willis said.

Whatever the jury decides, Scott Willis said, he and his wife are grateful their story had been told in court.

"There is a greater justice and that is before the Lord," Willis said. "That justice is exquisite and pure and we may have to wait and papal court exactly what that is."

...