Judge Denies Bail for Ex-Selectwoman

The former Chelsea, Maine, selectwoman convicted of federal extortion charges has lost another attempt to be freed on bail pending appeal.

A federal judge denied Carole Swan's most recent requests.

The 56-year-old Swan had asked to add a new, "enhanced" transcript to the court record and to reconsider the earlier order denying bail. The enhanced transcript would have clarified passages listed as "unintelligible" on the transcript submitted as evidence at trial.

The Kennebec Journal reports that the judge said in his decision he rejected Swan's request because the record must contain evidence juries actually heard, not evidence they could only have heard with enhanced listening techniques.

Swan was convicted of using her position to seek kickbacks from the town's plowing contractor, as well as workers' compensation and income tax fraud.