By Brad Bumsted

Published: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 9:47 a.m.
Updated: Friday, May 25, 2012

HARRISBURG -- Superior Court late Wednesday denied an effort by former House Speaker Bill DeWeese's lawyer to free him from prison again while he appeals his convictions.

The political establishment expressed shock Friday when DeWeese's attorney, William C. Costopoulos, got him freed from Camp Hill State Correctional Institution on an emergency petition just four days after he was jailed May 14. A jury convicted DeWeese, 62, a Waynesburg Democrat, in February on political corruption charges. The release order gave Dauphin County Judge Todd Hoover 10 days to rule on DeWeese's bail. Hoover ruled earlier this week to deny bail and the Superior Court yesterday affirmed that decision. But DeWeese had a brief break from prison, where he is serving 2 ½ to 5 years on conviction in Dauphin County court of five felonies for using his district office and Harrisburg staff to conduct his campaigns. He was seen Saturday night at a Harrisburg Senators baseball game. He spent the time riding his bike, seeing his girlfriend and eating Chinese food, DeWeese told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

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