The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the bribery conviction of former state Rep. Randy Terrill and denied an appeal by former Sen. Debbe Leftwich.
Terrill — a Republican — was convicted and sentenced to a year in prison for offering Leftwich — a Democrat — an $80,000-a-year job at the state medical examiner's office if she would not run for re-election in 2010 so a Republican could seek the seat. Leftwich was convicted of accepting a thing of value to withdraw as a candidate and was given a one-year suspended sentence.
In Friday's rulings, the court rejected Terrill's appeals of erroneous jury instructions about the crime and that the evidence did not support a conviction. The court also rejected Leftwich's appeal that she was not technically a candidate.
Terrill told The Associated Press that he wasn't aware of the ruling. He has long denied wrongdoing.
An attorney for Leftwich did not immediately return an after-hours phone call for comment.
Bills creating and funding the job allegedly offered Leftwich were vetoed by then Gov.-Brad Henry after the bribery allegations surfaced.
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