By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – A federal judge says former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman does not have to pay more than 181 thousand dollars in restitution to a state agency as part of his punishment in a government corruption case.
U-S District Judge Mark Fuller said in an order Monday that restitution was based on money the state lost in a bogus deal with lobbyist Lanny Young to build state warehouses. But Fuller said since Siegelman was acquitted by a jury last year of charges related to the warehouse deal he did not have to pay the restitution.
The same jury convicted Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy on bribery and related charges. Siegelman was accused of appointing Scrushy to an influential hospital regulatory board in exchange for Scrushy arranging 500 thousand dollars in contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a lottery.
Fuller on June 29 sentenced Siegelman to more than seven years in federal prison and Scrushy to almost seven years. Fuller has also denied a motion by prosecutors that he increase the length of Siegelman's prison sentence, if the former governor was not required to pay restitution.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)