During Lackey’s testimony he said he did not go to Hood after Stallings told him Hood said Richard Scruggs and former AG Mike Moore threatened Hood not to proceed with a criminal investigation into State Farm over Hurricane Katrina. They threatened to fund and support a new candidate for attorney general, Lackey said.
Moore was in the courtroom when Lackey testified and said he had to do a “double take” when he heard Lackey say that. Moore, attorney for Zach Scruggs had sent his investigator Bill East to talk to Stallings about when Lackey reported the bribe, but Stallings did not tell East about how Hood had been threatened, both Moore and Stallings said.
Stallings added he did not know East was working with Moore.
Moore took that to mean Stallings never said that to Lackey. However Stallings did tell Lackey (when they met) he thought Hood was being threatened.
An email sent by Lee Martin, an attorney in Moore’s office, to Moore during Tuesday’s hearing says “I talked to Bill, and Lon Stallings did not say anything about such a conversation with Hood or Lackey. During Lackey’s conversation with Lon – Lon suggested they get the Attorney General’s office involved.”
Stallings did suggest that Lackey get “wired up” by Roger Cribbs, an investigator for Hood, but Lackey said he did not trust anyone from Hood’s office, because he was too close with Scruggs and Moore, Stallings said they might not be as close as you’d think. This is when Stallings told Lackey about Hood being threatened.
Stallings, after speaking with Hood, felt that Moore and Scruggs had threatened to back a different candidate for attorney general, Stallings said.
Lackey decided to go to The Federal government to avoid Hood.
Daily Mississippian Newsblog
4/17/8
Magnolia Tribune
