CHICAGO - On Friday, the political powerbroker who once determined the careers of countless Illinois lawmakers will soon learn his fate from a federal judge.
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was convicted in February on nearly a dozen counts of bribery and corruption.
Now, the question is what kind of sentence the 83-year-old will receive.
What we know:
Madigan, one of the most powerful figures in Illinois political history, faces up to 12.5 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine, according to prosecutors.
"So I don't think the judge will give the full amount that the prosecution has asked for. If you look at, for instance, the Alderman Burke trial, he was given two years because of his age and all of the letters in support of his good deeds over the years," said retir