Monday, July 9, 2007
No Restitution for Siegelman
According to Al.com (AP) former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman will be spared from having to pay restitution. There were clearly problems related to the original request for restitution (see here) in that Siegelman had been found not guilty on the count upon which the restitution order was premised. But in being $181,325 richer by the court telling him that he need not pay the restitution, Siegelman may have moved closer to a possible appeal by the government. The government still has time to decide whether to proceed on an appeal arguing that the sentence given to the former governor was too light. But if the government decides to challenge the sentence, it seems likely that a Libby Motion will be forthcoming. With allegations raised that the indictment may have been politically influenced (see here), a Libby Motion might present some interesting commentary.
(esp)
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/whitecollarcrime_blog/2007/07/no-restitution-.html