The jury indicated it wanted to know what happens if it cannot agree on a unanimous decision on every count. The panel had matched up specific acts in the case to individual counts and was unclear on what to do next, the note said.

The judge in the trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced that the jury is deadlocked on some counts in the case.U.S. District Judge James Zagel, reading from a note from jurors, said they had made “a reasonable attempt” after deliberating 11 days and had done so “without rancor.”

“What is the next logical step?” the jury asked in its note.



Zagel said in court that he needs further clarification from the jury before deciding the next step.



"It is also permissible for a jury to return a verdict with unanimity on some counts and have an inability to reach a unanimous decision on other counts," Zagel said he would tell the jury.



He said the jury has been "exceptionally disciplined" and quiet as it has deliberated.

The jury has left for the day. Attorneys in the case are scheduled to be back to the courthouse at 11 a.m. tomorrow to meet with the judge.



On his way out of the courthouse, attorney Michael Ettinger, who represents Robert Blagojevich, said the jury's note was "vague" and left many questions.



"We don't know what it means," he said. "The judge doesn't know what it means."



"I assume they are hung on my client but I don't know," he added.

The former governor kissed one woman supporter and thanked the crowd but left the courthouse without comment.

His brother said he didn’t know whether it was good or bad news that the jury is deadlocked on some counts.

“I have no way to make any kind of judgment on anything,” he told reporters before leaving the courthouse. “I’ve never been through this before.”

Robert Blagojevich said he had been instructed by his lawyers to return to the courthouse tomorrow.

Sam Adam Sr., one of the former governor’s lawyers, said the judge asked the defense and prosecution not to talk to reporters about the latest development in the trial.

“It isn’t so much an order as a request,” Adam said. “We can’t help it. That’s the way it is.”

Rod Blagojevich faces two dozen corruption charges ranging from racketeering and wire fraud to attempted extortion and bribery. His older brother, Robert, faces four counts of wire fraud, conspiracy, attempted extortion and bribery.

The charges against the former governor range from an attempted shakedown of then-U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel to trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama with his election as president in 2008. The charges against Robert Blagojevich stem from the final months of 2008 after he took over as head of his brother's campaign fund, Friends of Blagojevich, and allegedly helped his brother extort campaign contributions in exchange for official actions by the governor.



--Jeff Coen and Kristen Mack

