HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Former Waterbury Mayor Philip Giordano has been granted a hearing to determine whether he received ineffective counsel during his federal child-sex trial.

U.S. District Court Judge Stefan Underhill has ordered the hearing to determine whether attorney Andrew Bowman informed Giordano of a plea deal that would have capped his federal prison sentence at 15 years.

Giordano, a Republican who lost the 2000 election for U.S. Senate to Sen. Joe Lieberman, is serving a 37-year sentence after being convicted in 2003 of federal charges including violating the civil rights of two girls ages 8 and 10 by sexually abusing them while he was mayor.

Bowman has submitted an affidavit saying he verbally informed Giordano of the plea deal.

No date for the hearing has been set.