CHICAGO — Jury selection in the trial of Cook County Commissioner William Beavers was pushed back until Tuesday because the suspect's attorney was sick.
Judge James Zagel postponed the start until tomorrow because one of Beaver's attorneys, Victor Henderson, is sick.
Beavers, a former Chicago cop and South Side alderman, faces one count of obstructing an Internal Revenue Service investigation and three counts of filing false tax returns.
Prosecutors say he used three political funds to pay himself $225,000 for personal use, including investing $68,000 in an account to boost his city pension.
Beavers has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has said he is being prosecuted for refusing to cooperate in an investigation of Cook County Commissioner John Daley, according to the Chicago Tribune.
In addition to Victor Henderson, who was sick, Beavers is also being represented by defense attorney Sam Adam Jr., who is known for his brash and theatricial style.
Adam has defended Chicago politicians in Zagel's courtroom before, most notably in the first trial of now-convicted ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2010. That trial ended in a hung jury on 23 of the 24 counts facing Blagojevich. He was found guilty on one count of lying to federal agents.
