Scruggs video after second guilty plea

A Youtube video of Richard Dickie Scruggs leaving the courthouse in an oraange jump-suit after he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to an additional 7 years.  The Scruggs youtube video also shows excerpts from a press conferance with U.S. Attorney Jim Greenlee, and FBI Assisstant Special Agent Wilfred Rattigan. 

In my question regarding immunity, I have heard one of the suspects in “Scruggs II” was offered an immunity deal to talk about his role in the bribe. 

Scruggs case puts Miss. in national spotlight

The Dickie Scruggs Saga didn’t start in Nov. 2007 when he and five others were indicted on conspiracy charges, headlines bearing Scruggs name are almost a past-time in Mississippi. Asbestos, tobacco, and Katrina all put Scruggs in the paper; now the bribe and the famed attorney’s methods are making headlines nationwide.

Thursday’s Wall Street Journal ran an anti-Jim Hood, Mississippi attorney general, editorial about Hoods accepting State Farm’s Katrina related files from Scruggs, who obtained the files from State Farm insider’s Cori and Kerri Rigsby. The Rigsby’s worked for insurance adjuster E.A. Renfroe a company contracted by State Farm to handle claims on coastal Mississippi post-Katrina.

The editorial is referring to a ruling by federal Judge William Acker costing Scruggs and the Rigsby’s $65,000. The ruling was covered by the WSJ (again), USA Today, and at least 100 more news websites and blogs.

In an article written by Peter Boyer, appearing in the May 19 edition of The New Yorker, Boyer writes 18 pages outlining Scruggs affiliation with Ole Miss, his past lawsuits, and the bribe attempt of Judge Lackey. Here is a teaser, the full story is only obtainable in print form or with subscription to The New Yorker.

When the sentencing date for Scruggs and two others was announced AP stories appeared on CNN and Forbes‘s Website.

The day Scruggs pleaded guilty stories were written by the New York Times, The LA Times, and ABC news.

Also, on the day he pleaded guilty The Wall Street Journal wrote several thousand words pertaining to the bribe and other Scruggs issues, it was released prior to Scruggs pleading guilty. The story can only be seen with an online subscription. Another teaser is on their website.

Two months after the indictment Nelson Schwartz, for the New York Times, wrote an extended feature outlining the saga of Scruggs up until that point.

When Scruggs was indicted for attempting to bribe Lackey the NY Times had the story, along with every other major newspaper in the country. Several days later, when Hillary Clinton cancelled a fundraiser at Scruggs house, New York magazine wrote about Clinton’s dilemma.

Before the bribe attempt Scruggs was in the media some but not like after November 28. Scruggs made national headlines when he won billions of dollars for Mississippi when he beat big tobacco. PBS’s Frontline had an interview with Scruggs about the lawsuit; the movie The Insider also portrayed the fight with tobacco.

There is the soon to come book being written by veteran reporter and Ole Miss Professor Curtis Wilkie.

Scruggs actions have been written about for almost 20 years, some good some bad. My only hope is Mississippi’s national attention is portrayed accuartley when the presidential debate happens in September.