State prosecutors have lost a legal challenge seeking to revive a public corruption case against former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron.
The state Court of Appeals ruled last week that charges against Vigil-Giron were properly dismissed in November 2012 because delays in the case violated her constitutional right to a speedy trial.
Vigil-Giron was indicted in August 2009 on charges of fraud, money laundering and embezzlement for alleged misuse of federal money in a voter education campaign. Two consultants for the campaign were convicted in a separate federal prosecution.
A special prosecutor, appointed after Attorney General Gary King's office was disqualified from handling the case, had appealed a Bernalillo County district court judge's decision to dismiss the case.
Vigil-Giron was secretary of state from 1999 to 2006.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.