Mitchell on Patterson (but mostly Blake)
all started in March 2007 when those indicted “discussed ways and means of attempting to corruptly influence Circuit Judge Henry Lackey … Knowing that Timothy R. Balducci and Judge Lackey had been friends for many years, Richard ‘Dickie’ Scruggs asked Balducci to explore ways of corruptly influencing the judge.”
Norman said Balducci met with Lackey and told him he would consider it a “personal favor” if the judge ruled in Scruggs’ favor. Norman said Balducci also promised that when Lackey retired he could be paid for the use of his name on the Balducci law firm’s letterhead.
Norman said the judge “tested the co-conspirators’ intent by asking for $40,000 in cash in exchange for an order in favor of the Scruggs law firm.”
In a Sept. 28 telephone call secretly tape-recorded by the government, Patterson told Balducci his wife had just gotten off the phone with Blake, who had met with Scruggs, Norman said.
After talking to Blake, Patterson told Balducci that Blake “knows it’s going to be 40,” Norman said.
Picture Judge Lackey’s face as Balducci delivered his “personal favor” line.
Anyhow, Mitchell reports that on October 10 Patterson was on the phone to Balducci about when “that order” was going to be signed because “P.L. needed to know.” On October 16 (Mitchell says Balducci will testify), Dickie Scruggs told Balducci in a meeting with others, “I know you have talked to P.L., and I have talked to P.L. Everything’s fine. Y’all are going to be covered.”
FOLO
2/22/9
