Prior to the indictment of Dick Scruggs, few things were as improbable as the mention of judicial bribery and Judge Bobby DeLaughter in the same breath.
On January 28, 2008, the government filed a notice of its intent to introduce “other act” evidence pursuant to Rule 404(b), identifying the evidence in a subsequent letter to Defendants’ counsel as “another attempt to corruptly influence a judicial proceeding,” referring to a search warrant application for the Langston Law Firm and the information, factual basis, and plea colloquy in United States v. Joseph C. Langston…
On January 7, 2008, former attorney Joseph C. Langston pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with conspiring to attempt in 2006 to corruptly influence First Circuit Court District Judge Bobby DeLaughter in a case then pending before Judge DeLaughter, Wilson v. Scruggs…(Source: USA v Scruggs, Defendant’s Motion in Limine to Exclude Extrensic Evidence Pursuant to Rule 404(B) and Memorandum of Law; links added)
What began as improbable has become the probability of a precedent setting case.
On March 14, 2008, Dick Scruggs entered a guilty plea in USA v Scruggs. Judge Delaughter is named in the news story quoted in a SLABBED post published later in the day. Almost a year later, Dick Scruggs entered a second guilty plea. However, this time Judge DeLaughter was named in the indictment.
Unlike Scruggs, Judge DeLaughter entered a plea of not guilty. SLABBED posted the story of his arraignment In this world of sin and sorrow – USA v DeLaughter,.
The former prosecutor who made a worldwide name for himself for putting Klansman Byron De La Beckwith behind bars pleaded not guilty today to a five-count indictment in court, accused of ruling in favor of the former lawyer once called Mississippi’s “king of torts.”
Some have compared the period following indictment to the grieving process; i.e., denial to acceptance of responsibility and an eventual guilty plea. Is Judge DeLaughter in the midst of that process or is he truly not guilty as charged?
At this point, any answer is a guess; and, many have been guessing. Most, however, have been guessing at his strategy for fighting the charges. On Thursday, he filed a set of six motions that suggest his defense. All six motions are linked below. Each is followed with a summary compiled from the text with the exception of the Motion for a Bill of Particulars which is both linked and presented in text. (all emphasis added) Continue reading “Judge DeLaughter goes into motion! Six, to be exact.”