A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that former Fleishman-Hillard executives Doug Dowie and John Stodder should remain free on bail while their cases are appealed. They no doubt appreciate this part of the order most:

Both were convicted a year ago of wire fraud and conspiracy in the overbilling of the city's Department of Water and Power and other PR clients. Dowie, who ran the Fleishman L.A. office and is a former Daily News managing editor, received a sentence of 42 months in federal prison. Stodder received fifteen months.