BEGIN TONIGHT WITH BLOCKBUSTER NEWS FROM FEDERAL COURT IN CHICAGO.

>> A JURY HAS CONVICTED FORMER ALDERMAN ED BURKE ON 13 COUNTS OF BRIBERY, EXTORTION AND RACKETEERING, DECIDING THAT BURKE OPERATE A CITY HALL LIKE A MAFIA.

DON, SHAKING DOWN THOSE WHO NEEDED HELP FROM THEIR ELECTED LEADERS.

ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY FROM THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS MORRIS DESCRIBED TOLD REPORTERS BURKE BETRAYED THE PEOPLE OF CHICAGO.

>> THIS CASE WAS ABOUT BRIBERY AND EXTORTION OCCURRING AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF CHICAGO CITY GOVERNMENT.

THE PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO HONEST AND OPEN GOVERNMENT.

WHERE DECISIONS ABOUT OFFICIAL ACTIONS THAT PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

WHAT DO NOT TAKE?

ARE BASED?

NOT ON THEIR OWN PRIVATE FINANCIAL INTEREST.

BUT ON THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

THAT DID NOT HAPPEN IN THIS CASE.

>> WBTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER STIRLING JOINS US NOW WITH THE LATEST ON THE VERDICT IN THIS LANDMARK CORRUPTION CASE.

HEATHER?

ED BURKE IS A 38 PERSON TO BE CONVICTED OF A CRIME SINCE 1968 BREAKDOWN FOR BREAKDOWN FOR THE CHARGES THAT HE WAS CONVICTED OF.

>> SO THE BIG CHARGE THAT ED BURKE WAS CONVICTED TODAY WAS RACKETEERING, WHICH YOU WILL MORE OFTEN FIND IN CASES OF MOB BOSSES OR STREAKING LEADERS.

HE WAS ALSO CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED EXTORTION AND BRIBERY.

THE 9 WOMEN I'M SO THE 9 WOMEN AND 3 MEN ON THE JURY AGREED WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTORS THAT HE ENGAGED IN FOR CRIMINAL SCHEMES, INCLUDING 3 WHERE HE SHOOK DOWN PEOPLE WHO NEEDED OFFICIAL HELP FROM CITY HALL BUT REFUSED TO HELP THEM UNTIL THEY HIRED HIS PRIVATE LAW FIRM CLASTER AND BURKE.

A STUNNING REPUTATION REPUDIATION OF THE MOST POWERFUL ALDERMAN FOR NEARLY A HALF CENTURY IN BERKS TO TRIAL ALONGSIDE HIS LONGTIME AIDE PETE ANDREWS AND BUSINESSMAN CHARLES KUWAIT ANDREWS WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES.

WALKWAY WAS CONVICTED ON ALL CHARGES.

WHY THE SPLIT VERDICT, WELL, PETE ANDREWS WAS CHARGED WITH HELPING BURKE SHAKE DOWN THE OWNERS OF A BURGER KING RESTAURANT IN HIS 14TH WARD ON THE CITY'S SOUTHWEST SIDE.

THE JURY FOUND THAT BURKE DID ENGAGE IN THOSE CRIMINAL ACTIONS BUT DECIDED THAT ANDREWS, A 73 YEAR-OLD PART-TIME WORKER FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO, DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THAT SCHEME AND DID NOT LIE TO THE FBI.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE JURY FOUND THAT QUAY WHO WANTED CITY OFFICIALS TO ALLOW HIM TO USE A PER A POLL SIGN ON THE CITY'S NORTHWEST SIDE TO ADVERTISE BINNEY'S BEVERAGE DEPOT.

THEY GREW EACH DAY DAY CHART DAY CONVICTED HIM SAYING THAT HE DID BRIDE ED BURKE AND THEN LIED ABOUT IT WHEN THE FBI CAME KNOCKING >> AND TAKE INSIDE THE COURTROOM WHEN THE VERDICT WAS READ.

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

>> SO DELIBERATIONS LASTED NEARLY 23 HOURS OVER 4 DAYS.

IT WAS TRULY A MASSIVE CASE.

THEY HAD TO DECIDE IN ALL 19 COUNTS.

IT WAS A STUNNING MOMENT WHEN EDBERG ENTERED THE COURTROOM WEARING A BLACK TIE ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE, FORMER ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE AND BURKE AND HIS FAMILY.

HE AWAITED THE VERDICT VERY CALMLY AND SHOWED NO EMOTION WHEN THAT FIRST RACKETEERING CONDITION CAME DOWN AND THEN EXPAND THEN GAVE HIS WIFE A HUG AND A KISS.

THE ONLY TIME I SAW HIM SMILE INSIDE THAT COURTROOM TODAY WAS WHEN HE NOTICED HIS AIDE PETE ANDREWS QUIETLY CELEBRATING HIS ACQUITTAL.

BURKE PAID FOR ANDREWS DEFENSE, A TRIBUTE TO HIS YEARS OF SERVICE TO BURKE AND THE 14TH WARD, POLITICAL OPERATION.

AND YOU'VE WRITTEN THAT THIS REPRESENTS A WATERSHED MOMENT IN CHICAGO'S HISTORY OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION BY.

>> WELL, IT BURKE REALLY AMASSED POWER AT CITY HALL USING FEAR AND THREATS.

AND AND IN SOME CASES, THE JURY AGREED JUST STRAIGHT UP TERROR.

AND IT IS HOW CHICAGO GOVERNMENT HAS OPERATED FOR DECADES, NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE WHO WENT TO CITY HALL OR ASKED THEIR ALDER PEOPLE FOR HELP, BUT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO COULD PAY TO PLAY.

THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE CORRUPTION THAT HAS LED TO NOW MORE THAN 3 DOZEN ALDER PEOPLE CONVICTED OF CORRUPTION COUNTS.

AND WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE ANOTHER TRIAL INVOLVING ALDERMANIC CORRUPTION ALDERMAN CARRIE AUSTIN FINALLY FACES A JUDGE IN HER CORRUPTION CASE.

AND WE WILL SEE THE END OF THE SAGA OF FORMER ALDERMAN DANNY SOLIS WHO WORE A WIRE AND HELPED FEDERAL PROSECUTORS CONVICT BURKE.

HE WILL NOT SPEND A DAY IN JAIL UNDER AN AGREEMENT IN RETURN FOR HIS ASSISTANCE IN THIS CASE AND TO THE CASE PENDING AGAINST FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER MICHAEL MADIGAN, WHICH IS SET TO GO TO TRIAL THIS SPRING.

WELL, THANK YOU, HEATHER, FOR YOUR REPORTING.

WE HAVE MUCH MORE COVERAGE OF THIS STORY ON LINE FROM HEATHER AND MATT MASTERSON AT W T TW DOT COM