Watch CBS News

Former Speaker Salvatore DiMasi Seeks Change In Sentence

BOSTON (CBS) -- Attorneys for former House Speaker Sal DiMasi filed a motion Tuesday asking the federal court to change the sentence in DiMasi's conspiracy conviction, citing an "ineffective assistance of counsel."

DiMasi was sentenced to eight years in federal prison in September 2011 after he was found guilty of taking $65,000 in kickbacks from software contracts. He is serving his sentence in a North Carolina prison.

Sal DiMasi
Former Mass. House Speaker Sal DiMasi outside federal court on Wednesday, June 15, 2011. (WBZ-TV)

The latest motion contends DiMasi's lawyer in the case Thomas R. Kiley had a "conflict of interest" by representing other witnesses.

According to the motion, Kiley chose not to call certain witnesses he represented, some of whom may have been important to DiMasi's defense.

Kiley told WBZ-TV Tuesday he had not seen the motion, and still represents DiMasi "on some matters."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.