His political career ended in an upstate courtroom Friday, but back in Alan Hevesi's Forest Hills neighborhood the court of public opinion is overwhelmingly in his favor. NY1’s Ruschell Boone filed the following report.

Alan Hevesi admitted Friday that he schemed to defraud the state, and never intended to pay anything back. But residents of his Queens neighborhood say, come on, give him a break.

“I don't think that he's guilty of anything except taking care of his ill wife,” said one Queens resident.

“I think everybody should leave him alone,” added another Queens resident. “I think its really pathetic how politics have turned out.”

Hevesi resigned Friday and pleaded guilty to using state employees to chauffeur his wife around for years. He also admitted one of them was running household errands as well. Even so, some people say Hevesi should not have been driven from office.

“I feel sorry. I don't think that he's the only one who did what he did honestly in the depths of our political society,” said a Forest Hill resident. “I live around here so he's also a neighbor so I feel bad for what happened.”

But not everyone agrees. There were a few people who said Hevesi got exactly what he deserved.

“If he's guilty he shouldn't be in office,” added another local resident. “It's that simple. No one else could do it in any other job. So why should he be able to get away with it.”

“Technically he was robbing from the city and he got caught, so that's what happens,” concurred another Forest Hill resident. “It's an unfortunate situation for him.”

A situation that spelled the end of Hevesi's 35-year political career.

- Ruschell Boone