Scrushy, Siegelman Want Convictions Tossed

[133724]

Lawyers for HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy and former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman asked the court to overturn their clients’ government-corruption convictions on Friday, saying that the jury’s guilty verdict threatens the ability of political candidates to raise money. Here’s the AP story.

Scrushy and Siegelman were convicted in June by a Montgomery, Ala., jury after a two-month trial. Federal prosecutors said Siegelman had appointed Scrushy to a hospital-regulatory board that had oversight of some HealthSouth business in exchange for Scrushy arranging $500,000 in donations to Siegelman’s campaign for a state lottery.

Said Terry Butts of Cervera, Ralph & Butts, one of Scrushy’s lawyers: “If this conviction is upheld, it means in Alabama, anytime you make a contribution politically and later are appointed to any position by the person receiving the contribution, it will be up to prosecutors to decide if they want to indict you.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/?mod=home_law_left

a duhhhhh

[acmejack]

1. No doubt!

I would too, if I were in their shoes. As the wise man once said, "Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time!"

[bluerum]

2. !! WTF ?? An indictment should be mandatory not optional!!