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Former House Speaker Ray Sansom is a free man tonight. The prosecution’s case, alleging Sansom conspired to steal a six million dollar appropriation, collapsed today after the judge ruled no evidence of a conspiracy existed. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the once-prominent politician says his life is in the hands of God.

The end to the week-long trial came quickly.

“The state and the defense have reached an agreement in this case, and at this point in time, there is no further action being taken,” prosocuter Willie Meggs said.

After a long lunch break, prosecutor Willie Meggs dropped the charges against Sansom and co-defendant Jay Odom. Both agreed to pay 103 thousand dollars to the state. That amount is what the state spent from a six million dollar appropriation that Sansom engineered for his home town college. The appropriation was for a building described as both an airplane hanger for Odom and classroom space for the school.

Afterwards Sansom was breathless.

“This is what Mr. Dobson and Mr. Smith told me the first time I met with them,” Sansom said. “The truth will set you free. We have a great justice system. The constitution is still a living, breathing document, and when we get a chance to present our case to a jury, to a jude, we will walk out of here like we are today. No charges, not guilty.”

Attorney Steve Dobson says he was convinced of victory from the beginning.

“There was absolutely no case. When the legislature creates their rules, they pass a bill, that’s the bill they pass,” Dobson said. “No legislator should be subject to what Mr. Sansom has gone through in this case.”

Sansom and his family left the courthouse, with the now-free man saying he would trust his future, just as he had the outcome of the trial, with his God.