Court won't hear appeal from ex-Ill. governor

[February 20, 2013]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court won't hear an appeal from ex-Illinois Gov. George Ryan over his corruption conviction.

The justices on Tuesday turned away Ryan's appeal without comment.

The former governor wanted them to reconsider his conviction based on a 2010 decision saying honest service fraud requires bribery and kickbacks. Ryan said the jury instructions at his trial were wrong, and that it was never proven that he took bribes. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to overturn his conviction, and the high court refused to reconsider that decision.

A jury convicted Ryan in 2006 of racketeering, conspiracy, tax fraud and making false statements to the FBI. Ryan was released from prison earlier this year and is serving the rest of his sentence on home confinement.

[Associated Press]

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