Immediately after the injunction was entered, Scruggs and Mississippi AG Hood had at least two conversations, in which it “was decided that the Attorney General’s office would send a letter to Scruggs requesting that Scruggs send his copy of the documents (which the AG already had a copy of) to the AG rather than delivering them to Renfroe’s counsel . . . .” Does it seem rash to anyone for Jim Hood to have taken part in a conversation such as this involving a federal judge’s injunction?
One of Hood’s assistants, on December 12, 2006, e-mailed Scruggs a letter asking for the Rigsbies’ copy of the documents because “I am not comfortable that the protective measures put in place by the Court will be effective in keeping these documents out of the grasp of State Farm.” Upon reflection or further internal discussion, a few hours later she sent another e-mail letter saying the first was hasty, and suggesting Scruggs was supposed to obtain permission from the Court before sending any documents to the AG’s office. That first letter is pretty remarkable, don’t you think? I can see why the second one followed so quickly.
After the first letter arrived but before the second did, Scruggs said he sent the Rigsby documents to the AG’s office. If ever need to get a package out of my office pronto, remind me to ask the assistance of the Scruggs Katrina Group. Scruggs did not ask the AG’s office to send the documents back, nor did Hood send them back. It seems the prosecutors are focusing on this as one of the key elements showing what they say is Scruggs’ plan to violate the injunction.
After the announcement of the settlement of a large class action lawsuit with State Farm, “Scruggs made an about face and requested the return of the Rigsbys/Scruggs documents from Attorney General Hood . . . .” However, Scruggs later wrote to Hood requesting a copy of all the documents that the Rigsbies had previously given to Hood. That law enforcement exception in the injunction was pretty big, apparently. So big, it might have been enough to just have a picture of Hood in Scruggs’ wallet.
Insurance Coverage Blog
10/16/7
Magnolia Tribune
