Melrose Will be Home to Sal DiMasi for at Least 6 Months, Starting Tuesday

Former Mass. Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi is being released from federal prison today. And as per U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf's order, he must serve two year of supervised release, including the first six months in his Melrose home.

DiMasi will not be electronically monitored and "may leave his residence for any medical emergency or, with the prior approval of the Probation Office, for medical appointments and religious observances," the order stated. Upon request, after three months, DiMasi could potentially knock that requirement own from a 24-hour confinement to a "curfew," Wolf's order said.

Federal prosecutors requested DiMasi's early release under the compassionate release program due to the 71-year-old's deteriorating health. The federal judge in the case had asked for additional evidence, to avoid the appearance of special treatment or consideration in the case of a former politician.

The most damaging convictions included extortion and conspiracy to defraud citizens of honest services related to contracts awarded to Cognos, a software company, in exchange for up to $65,000 in kickbacks, as Patch previously reported. DiMasi lived in Boston's North End.

Despite the evolution of legal guidelines for compassionate release of prisoners, multiple requests for DiMasi's release were denied.

But in July of this year, DiMasi's four lawyers met, "for at least the second time," with Massachusetts' U.S. District Attorney Carmen Ortiz, someone who "ordinarily would not have become involved in this matter," Judge Wolf's order notes.

Alison Bauter, Patch Staff, contributed to this report

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