Closing arguments underway in ex-Gov. George Ryan trial

The trial of former Illinois Governor George Ryan is coming to an end after six months of testimony. The Kankakee Republican is accused of various graft charges while he was Illinois' secretary of state. Ryan is best known nationally as the man who emptied the state's death row in the closing days of his single term in office.

The prosecution got into the batter's box first:

"You've heard of the 12 days of Christmas? This was 12 years of Christmas for Mr. Ryan, his family and his friends," Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel R. Levin said as closing arguments got under way after five months of testimony in Ryan's racketeering and fraud trial.

Levin said that the 72-year-old Republican who served one term as governor practiced "concealment, deception and lies" on a regular basis to cover up "dirty deals" in which he steered state contracts and leases to a small circle of friends and their lobbying clients

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