Insurance Law

Scruggs Nation, Day 52

By David Rossmiller

I'm a bit under the weather today so just a quick post for now.

The Daily Journal has the transcript of Joey Langston's guilty plea, which contains this passage:

At about that time, Langston, working with Balducci and

Steven A . Patterson, contacted and retained the services of Ed

Peters, a close personal friend of Judge DeLaughter. For his

services , Langston agreed to pay Peters $50,000 in cash. After

paying the $50,000, the parties agreed that they would also

divide any money over and above what Scruggs was willing to pay

in the Wilson matter.

In the end, based on this reverse contingency fee, Peters

received an additional $950,000 for his services. After hiring

Peters, Langston and Timothy R . Balducci and Steven A .

Patterson were in regular contact either by phone or by

facsimile concerning the case; and the three traveled regularly

from the Northern District of Mississippi to Jackson,

Mississippi, to meet with Peters in person to discuss issues

concerning the Wilson litigation.

While Peters was not fully cognizant of the issues

surrounding the litigation, he would relay whatever information

he received from Langston, Balducci, and Patterson to Judge

DeLaughter before any of this information was filed with the

Court. In at least one instance, Judge DeLaughter e -mailed a

rough draft of an opinion he planned to enter to Peters . And

Langston and Balducci and Patterson would be able to see it

before any filed - - final version was filed.

During the course of the litigation, Langston and Scruggs

were also aware that Judge DeLaughter was interested in a

position as a federal judge. Based on this knowledge, Scruggs

told Langston to let the Judge know that if he ruled in his

favor he would pass his name along for consideration regarding

the federal judgeship. Langston then informed Peters, who, in

turn, passed the information along to Judge DeLaughter. The

Government would further show that, in fact, DeLaughter' s name

was submitted for consideration for a federal judgeship, and

DeLaughter was so notified.

Here's a story on the Langston transcript and plea by Patsy Brumfield of the Daily Journal.

Here's another story on events by Jerry Mitchell of the Clarion Ledger.  According to the story, Judge DeLaughter continued to deny any wrongdoing.

Full post as published by Insurance Coverage Law Blog on January 18, 2008 (boomark / email).