Ex-governor stays in jail after high court ignores appeal

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan and a co-defendant lost another legal round at the Supreme Court on Tuesday and will remain in prison on federal racketeering and fraud convictions.

Ryan and businessman Larry Warner claimed they did not receive a fair trial, but the justices, without comment, refused to intervene in the case.

Justice John Paul Stevens refused last fall to grant bail for the 74-year-old Ryan, a move that would have kept him out of jail to file more appeals.

The disgraced ex-governor reported to a federal prison in Wisconsin in November to serve a 6˝-year sentence.

The men were convicted in April 2006 for fraud in a case stemming from bribes paid for various state licenses.

Their lawyers claimed the trial judge improperly removed two jurors while deliberations in the case had commenced, but a federal appeals court upheld the convictions.

Ryan, a Republican, served as governor from 1999 to 2003. He retired following investigations into political corruption in his administration.

He also was noted for issuing a moratorium on capital punishment in his state in 2000 over concerns innocent inmates might be executed.

The case decided Tuesday is Warner and Ryan v. U.S. (07-977).

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