Along with the state officials and law professors who are happy that the Supreme Court this week is reviewing the corruption conviction of former Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell, add inmate No. 24775-001 at the federal prison in Oakdale, La.

We have shown that U.S. Magistrate Charles S. Coody lied when he stated in a public order that he had "thoroughly reviewed" documents related to the recusal of prosecutor Leura Canary in the Don Siegelman case. Two sets of legal briefs (see here and here) show that Coody did not even order the Canary-related material, so the judge certainly could not have reviewed it.

AS FALLS from grace go, the tale of Don Siegelman is hard to beat. From the halls of power, the 68-year-old former US governor now finds himself languishing in solitary confinement in prison, though exactly which one remains a mystery. He hasn’t been heard from in weeks, his family say, and there are fears he isn’t being fed or clothed properly.