By Kanishka Singh (Reuters) – Sheldon Silver, the once-powerful New York State Assembly Speaker who was convicted on corruption charges that resulted in a prison sentence of six and a half years, has died aged 77. Silver died at a federal prison medical facility while serving out his sentence in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, his former chief of staff Judy Rapfogel told the media. Silver began serving his sentence in August 2020 despite being in poor health. He had appealed the portions of his 2018 conviction that were upheld in January 2020 by the Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of A…