by KHOU.com and Associated Press
kvue.com
Posted on September 19, 2013 at 9:33 AM
Updated today at 3:36 PM
Related:
HOUSTON – A Texas Court of Appeals in Austin has overturned the conviction of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, attorney Brian Wice told KVUE sister station KHOU 11 News.
DeLay, 66, was convicted in 2010 for his alleged role in a scheme to influence Texas elections.
He was found guilty of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering after he was accused of helping funnel corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002.
In documents released early Thursday, however, an appeals court said the evidence in the case was "legally insufficient to sustain DeLay’s convictions."
"I’m very happy about it," DeLay said in Washington Thursday. "I’m so glad they wrote the ruling about it because the ruling says I never should have been charged, much less indicted."
The court said all judgments against DeLay were reversed, and the former congressman was formally acquitted.
For both DeLay and his critics, the process was frustratingly slow, due in part to some of the appeals court justices in Austin recusing themselves as well as DeLay’s successful effort to have a judge on the panel removed because of anti-Republican comments she made.
DeLay was sentenced to three years in prison, but he stayed free while his case made its way through the appellate process.
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I remember thinking the evidence of crime pretty flimsy myself. Maybe I should be a Texas appeals judge...