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U.S. Supreme Court Will Not Hear Sal DiMasi Appeal

BOSTON (CBS) --- It could be the end of the legal line for former House Speaker Sal DiMasi.

Attorney Tom Kiley tells WBZ NewsRadio 1030, the United States Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal of DiMasi's corruption conviction.

Kiley called the news "disappointing."

DiMasi wanted the high court to reverse his conviction on corruption charges.

In 2011, a jury convicted the 68-year-old of steering contracts to a software firm in exchange for $65,000.

DiMasi, who is serving an 8-year prison sentence at a low-security medical facility in North Carolina, has advanced throat and tongue cancer.

He now has 25 days to decide if he will petition the court again.

"There are other avenues we turn our attention to. Right now, we'll turn our attention to the condition of his confinement, where he is, and how we can get him best situated. If there are other things that we can challenge along the way, we will," Kiley told WBZ.

Kiley would not comment on DiMasi's health.

"It is the case that he has had severe health issues," Kiley said. "They haven't mysteriously disappeared and the issues still need to be addressed."

WBZ-TV spokes with DiMasi's wife Debbie. She says she's very disappointed with the court's ruling.

She is also still very concerned about her husband's health.

DiMasi's throat cancer is currently in remission but his wife says he is having a difficult time gaining weight.

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