Former Gov. Don Siegelman Seeks New Trial
Source: Birmingham News
Former Gov. Don Siegelman seeks new trial
By Kim Chandler | kchandler@al.com
on August 28, 2013 at 6:00 PM, updated August 28, 2013 at 7:34 PM
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Former Gov. Don Siegelman is seeking a new trial on his 2006 bribery conviction, arguing the case was tainted by the involvement of a prosecutor with ties to GOP politics.
His lawyers are also contending a federal judge erred at Siegelman's sentencing and wrongly held the politician accountable for acquitted conduct.
Lawyers for Siegelman, a Democrat, filed the brief Monday with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals asking for a new trial, or “at a minimum” additional discovery about the role of former U.S. Attorney Leura Canary after she announced she was stepping aside from the case in 2002 .
“First, U.S. Attorney Leura Canary’s failure to honor her disqualification violated Siegelman’s right to a disinterested prosecutor,” Siegelman’s lawyers wrote.
“While Siegelman was being criminally investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Canary’s husband was a hired consultant for Siegelman’s political opponent; Canary had a direct financial interest in the success of her husband’s client and in Siegelman’s defeat.”
Canary, a Bush appointee, was the sitting U.S. Attorney in the early days of the investigation. She is the wife of Billy Canary, who was a political ally of former Gov. Bob Riley, who defeated Siegelman in 2002, and did some consulting work for 2002 GOP primary candidate Steve Windom.
Read more: http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/08/former_gov_don_siegelman_seeks.html
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