"Closing Arguments Conclude in Tim Mapes Perjury Trial"

Closing arguments have begun in the perjury trial of Tim Mapes, former chief of staff to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. Mapes is accused of lying to a federal grand jury investigating Madigan and his political operation. Prosecutors argue that Mapes could have been a valuable witness in the corruption investigation but chose to protect his friends by obstructing the process. Mapes faces up to 20 years in prison on the obstruction count. His defense claims that he did his best to provide truthful answers but struggled to remember due to the stress of the grand jury setting.