Judge Tells of Shock at Bribe Offer
The Mississippi judge who helped in a federal investigation of well-known plaintiffs lawyer Richard “Dickie” Scruggs tells of a “shock that I can’t put into words” when he was first approached about a bribe.
Judge Henry Lackey alleged in an interview with the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) that Mississippi lawyer Timothy Balducci first approached him with the bribe proposition. “My first thought was: What kind of character flaw has he discovered in me that would lead him to think that I would do something like this?” he told the newspaper. “I was furious. I mean, this strikes at the heart of our judicial system.”
Scruggs and Balducci are among five people charged with conspiring to pay Lackey $50,000 for a favorable ruling in a fee dispute involving Hurricane Katrina work. The indictment claims Balducci made the bribe offer and delivered it, while Scruggs’ firm reimbursed him, creating false documents showing the money was for jury consulting work by Balducci.
Scruggs’ lawyer, John Keker, told the newspaper he questioned the motive for Lackey’s remarks. “I find it remarkable that this high-minded government witness is talking to the national media, and it makes me wonder if he is interested in notoriety rather than seeing that justice is done. I’ll say this—he sure as hell didn’t get bribed by Dick Scruggs or anyone else in his law firm.”
The indictment has raised questions about whether Scruggs and his law firm will withdraw from lawsuits against State Farm for denying Hurricane Katrina claims. One of the founders of the Scruggs Katrina Group, which represents thousands of policyholders engaged in Katrina-related cases, has written a letter saying Scruggs’ law firm will be withdrawing from all Katrina-related litigation.
The letter (PDF) by lawyer Don Barrett says the Scruggs Katrina Group will be re-forming, with Barrett taking over as lead counsel, according to the Wall Street Journal Law Blog. But Scruggs begs to differ. “The clients will be the ones who will make the call as to their lawyer,” he told the blog.
