Report: Scruggs Grand Jury Looking at Another Case
In January 2006, with the case now in front of DeLaughter, a special master made recommendations that led Wilson’s lawyer to ask for more than $15 million for his client. Days later, Scruggs installed Booneville, Miss., lawyer Joey Langston as lead counsel, assisted by Tim Balducci, who, you’ll recall, was indicted alongside Scruggs in November, and later pled guilty. (In the indictment, Balducci is quoted on tape as saying, “Over the last five or six years there … are bodies buried that … (Scruggs) and I know where … (they) are.” According to the Clarion-Ledger, Balducci since has told the FBI that the 1994 Hinds County lawsuit is one of those “bodies.”)
Anyway, DeLaughter concluded Scruggs owed Wilson nothing beyond belated payments by Scruggs amounting to nearly $1.5 million. The sides ultimately settled the case.
The questions raised by the article: 1) Did DeLaughter take a bribe? 2) Did Scruggs et. al pay then-Hinds County DA Ed Peters to influence DeLaughter’s decision? Lawyers in the case have defended DeLaughter as honest, hard working and the least likely judge to be compromised. They said he followed the law in each instance, even when he ruled against them.
Peters wasn’t reached by Clarion-Ledger. DeLaughter has said he isn’t surprised the FBI is looking at the case because of Balducci’s statement. According to the Clarion-Ledger, DeLaughter welcomes the scrutiny, he said, because “I know I didn’t take a bribe.”
WSJ Law Blog
1/8/8
Magnolia Tribune
