Siegelman: "My heart is broken" - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Former Alabama Governor Don Siegleman reacted to news Monday that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal on bribery convictions. "My heart is broken," he said. "Not for me, but for my family and friends who have stood by me during this struggle

Siegelman's attorney, Sam Heldman of Washington, says the case now goes back to a federal court in Montgomery, where U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller has ordered a new sentencing hearing for Siegelman. Heldman isn't saying what kind of sentence the defense might request.

"I am  indebted to the 113 state Attorneys General of both political parties who supported my case," Siegelman said. "And I am thankful for the law professors from around the nation who actively supported my appeal."

The Supreme Court refused Monday to review the bribery convictions of Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy.

Siegelman was convicted of selling a seat on a hospital regulatory board to Scrushy in exchange for $500,000 in donations to Siegelman's 1999 state lottery campaign.

Siegelman is free on bond after serving nine months of his original sentence of more than seven years.

Siegelman's lawyers wanted to argue that campaign donations can't be bribes unless there's a clear agreement between the donor and the politician, and that there was no such agreement in Siegelman's case.

The appeal was turned away without comment.

"I pray that something positive will come of this in our future," the former governor said.

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