Maureen McDonnell's Felony Corruption Conviction Tossed By Federal Appeals Court

Maureen McDonnell's felony corruption conviction was tossed Friday by a federal appeals court.

Lawyers for the former Virginia first lady and estranged wife of former Va. Gov. Bob McDonnell, argued earlier this week that her conviction should be overturned inasmuch that the U.S. Supreme Court decided in late June to vacate her husband's conviction.

Maureen McDonnell was sentenced Feb. 2015 to one year and one day in prison on corruption charges related to more than $165,000 in lavish gifts and loans the couple received in exchange for support of a dietary supplement for a Richmond businessman, Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams (pictured above with Maureen McDonnell).

Both have separate teams of attorneys, as they did during the spectacularly salacious trial two summers ago. McDonnell was found guilty on 11 corruption counts. The governor’s wife, Maureen McDonnell, was found guilty of nine corruption counts and one count of obstruction of justice.

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that instructions given to the jury in Bob McDonnell's trial were too broad in defining what was and what wasn't an official act.

“There is no doubt that this case is distasteful; it may be worse than that,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. “But our concern is not with tawdry tales of Ferraris, Rolexes, and ball gowns. It is instead with the broader legal implications of the Government’s boundless interpretation of the federal bribery statute."

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has until the end of August to determine whether it will push for a new trial.

Photo: The Governor's Office