The state Superior Court has vacated part of the sentence given to former Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives H. William DeWeese, who was convicted on conflict of interest charges in the Bonusgate scandal.

A three-judge panel of the court ruled in Commonwealth v. DeWeese to vacate the mandate he pay more than $116,000 in restitution. The unanimous decision cited the Supreme Court's decision last year in Commonwealth v. Veon, which held that a restitution order directing payment to the state as the victim of a crime constitutes an illegal sentence.

“Here, the commonwealth is not a victim or a reimbursable compensating government agency under [18 Pa.C.S.A.] Section 1106,” Superior Court Senior Judge John L. Musmanno, who wrote the nonprecedential opinion that was released Monday, said.