Former Alabama governor to be freed on bond

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A federal appeals court approved the release of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman on bond Thursday while he appeals his convictions in a corruption case.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the former governor had raised "substantial questions of fact and law" in challenging his conviction, which Siegelman claims was politically motivated.

The once-popular Democrat began serving a sentence of more than seven years in June on his conviction on six bribery-related counts and one obstruction count. He has been serving the sentence at a federal prison in Oakdale, La.

The former governor's release was approved the same day the House Judiciary Committee said it wanted Siegelman to testify before Congress about possible political influence over his prosecution.

"It's a sweet day. He's an innocent man, and he's been in prison for nine months," said Siegelman's attorney, Vince Kilborn, who added that Siegelman has agreed to testify before the House panel.

Federal prosecutors accused Siegelman, 62, of appointing Richard Scrushy, HealthSouth chief executive officer at the time, to a hospital regulatory board in exchange for Scrushy arranging $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a statewide lottery.

Scrushy, who was tried with Siegelman, also was convicted on bribery counts and is serving a sentence of nearly seven years. The 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, has ruled the multimillionaire Birmingham businessman is a potential flight risk, but Siegelman is not.

Siegelman also was convicted of a separate obstruction-of-justice charge concerning $9,200 he received from a lobbyist to help with the purchase of a motorcycle. His attorneys have said it was a legitimate transaction.

Siegelman has maintained that certain Republicans targeted him after he was elected governor in 1998 in an attempt to derail his political career.