Atlanta, GA – Attorneys for former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy have told a federal appeals court their government corruption convictions should be overturned, partly because jurors communicated with each other during the trial.
Siegelman attorney Sam Heldman also told the panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta that prosecutors did not prove Siegelman had a ``quid pro quo'' agreement to appoint Scrushy to a hospital board in exchange for contributions to a state lottery campaign.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors presented oral arguments to the three judges Tuesday in a hearing that lasted less than an hour. The judges did not say when they would rule on the appeal. The two were convicted of bribery and other charges in 2006.
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