His hair now white, Blagojevich appears for resentencing

CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appeared on a courtroom video today in prison-issued clothing, his once dark hair now white, as a judge weighed whether to cut his 14-year sentence after an appeals court threw out some convictions related to his alleged attempt to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

Blagojevich, known as Inmate No. 40892-424 since he went to prison in 2012, won a resentencing hearing after an appeals court struck down five of his 18 convictions. The Democrat appeared on a courtroom screen through a video from a Colorado prison, his first public appearance since entering prison.

"I think I'm a very different person, and I think I've become someone who has learned a lot from the mistakes I have made," he told the judge, adding that he takes responsibility for his actions and is working to make amends.

Federal prosecutors said the dismissal of the five counts doesn't reduce the seriousness of Blagojevich's offenses and argued the sentence shouldn't be reduced.