Insurance Law

Scruggs sentencing approaches, letters to be released

By David Rossmiller

As the world turns.  It had almost completely slipped my mind that Dickie Scruggs was to be sentenced this Friday, until I talked with Alan Lange of Y'All Politics yesterday.  With Katrina cases winding down and the Scruggster getting measured for a tailored orange jumpsuit, I admit my attention has begun to wander, but it's been difficult to find something as interesting to talk about.  Last time I had this feeling was when the Soviet Union fell.  You remember that?  Everyone was just standing around looking at each other.  They're gone? Dang, who do we oppose now?

Thanks to readers for sending along stories about the upcoming sentencing.  Sorry that my time has been so restricted, responding to emails has been hit and miss lately, I know.

As you might have heard, on Friday Judge Biggers granted the motion by the Sun Herald newspaper to get access to the pre-sentencing letters written by folks.  Not all were fan letters begging for leniency, I know.  One reader sent me a copy of a letter he wrote to the judge recommending harshness.  Here's a copy of the judge's order.  Just after the judge granted the order, Sid Backstrom, also to be sentenced in the Scruggs Earwigging Scandal, filed an objection/motion for reconsideration.  Always it's a good idea in federal court to file your objections before the judge decides, and the batting average for motions for reconsideration is -- this is just a rough estimate here you understand -- probably something like 0.0 percent.  Here's a copy of the motion for reconsideration, made on grounds that the contents of these letters may be intended to be private.  Private?  Who sends a letter to a federal judge in a high profile case and expects to remain anonymous?  I mean, what would be in these letters that someone would expect to remain private: "Judge, please don't pass this on to anyone else because it's a little embarrassing, but here's a little story I thought you mind find amusing and enlightening about Sid.  Well, one time in gym class in high school he was doing calisthenics, and some guys pantsed him . . . ."   Here's a copy of the motion.   

Judge Biggers, of course, denied the motion yesterday.

Full post as published by Insurance Coverage Law Blog on June 24, 2008 (boomark / email).