(CN) — Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard has been convicted on 12 counts of public corruption in a jury verdict that automatically removed the one-time GOP star from office.
After the verdict, which came after seven hours of deliberations, Hubbard spoke briefly with his attorney before being led out of the courtroom by a sheriff's deputy.
W. Van Davis, the acting attorney general who tried the case, said afterwards that he hoped the verdict would restore "some of the confidence in the people of the state of Alabama that public officials at all levels in the state of Alabama will be held accountable for their actions especially those that would betray the public trust."
The jury convicted Hubbard on charges that he used his office to solicit consulting contracts from several companies and then took action to benefit them. It also convicted him on charges he used his office to secure $150,000 in investments from four corporate executives to keep his failing printing business afloat.
But the verdict wasn't a complete victory for the government as the jury also Hubbard on 11 other counts, including charges he used his former post as state GOP chairman to get lucrative contracts for businesses he owned.
Hubbard faces up to 20 years in prison for each ethics count. He was released on $160,000 bond.
Defense attorney David McKnight said he felt like he let the speaker down and that Hubbard and his entire legal team was disappointed in the verdict.
"We plan on appealing ... We feel confident we will prevail in the outcome," McKnight said.
Sentencing is set for July 8.
The Associate Press contributed to this report.
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