Supreme Court Vacates Fraud Conviction of Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman

The Supreme Court has ordered a review of the bribery and conspiracy convictions of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, sending the 2006 case back to a federal appeals court.

The surprise decision Tuesday comes a week after the justices put new limits on an anti-fraud law that federal prosecutors used against Siegelman and in many other corruption cases, including former Enron executive Jeffrey Skilling's.

In light of the high court's ruling against the so-called "honest services" fraud law, the justices said they had no choice but to vacate the convictions of Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy, who was prosecuted and convicted along with the ex-governor.

"We are very pleased with the Court's ruling," Siegelman's attorney, Vince Kilborn, told Raw Story. "This is an important step towards a complete victory for Governor Siegelman."

Siegelman, a Democrat, was convicted of selling Scrushy a seat on an Alabama health care board for $500,000, by way of contributions to a state lottery campaign that the then-governor favored.

Both men were sentenced to seven years in prison. The 11th Circuit upheld the convictions last year and that same court will now review the cases again.

For the full Supreme Court ruling, click here.