Day: December 16, 2009

Home $weet Home for State Farm Florida

Anyone surprised to learn State Farm Florida will be staying in the State?  h/t Chip Merlin’s Property Insurance Coverage Blog for the link to the official press release:
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (Office) today announced that Commissioner Kevin McCarty has issued a Consent Order that resolves the pending litigation between State Farm Florida and the Office over State Farm Florida’s plan to leave the property insurance market.  By the terms of the Consent Order, State Farm Florida will remain a significant player in the Florida residential property insurance marketplace.
“This agreement is the product of a long and arduous negotiation process,” remarked Commissioner McCarty. “The final result is beneficial to the people of the State of Florida, and beneficial to the Florida insurance marketplace. The consent order satisfies the Office’s requirements issued in our Order dated Feb. 13, 2009, and allows State Farm Florida to remain a viable insurer in the Florida market.” Continue reading “Home $weet Home for State Farm Florida”

Y’all reports Scruggs denies bribing Judge DeLaughter in Response to Patterson’s cross-claim in Wilson v Scruggs

SLABBED covered the cross claim filed on behalf of Scruggs’ co-defendant Steve Patterson in Eastland stands behind Motion to Dismiss – Greer files cross-claim for Patterson in Wilson v Scruggs.  Alan Lange at Y’all Politics has a post up on the Response from Dick Scruggs: Scruggs denies Steve Patterson, also denies bribing Judge DeLaughter .  I have no doubt Lange and I share a common commitment to justice and factual reporting even when we hang our hats on different facts, their meaning, and context.  However, there’s no disputing these facts about the Scruggs’ response:

In…[the cross-claim]…Patterson’s attorney writes:

4. Plaintiff’s Complaint alleges that Scruggs is guilty of bribing Judge DeLaughter, and defrauding the plaintiff, by and through Peters, and that those actions caused a favorable result in the Wilson case. Patterson had no involvement at all in those circumstances other than introducing Scruggs to the local counsel, Peters. Patterson received no funds, was not compensated in any way, shape or form and is therefore guilty of no active negligence, but at most, passive negligence (which,he denies), and was completely unaware of the possibility that Scruggs would allegedly perform any, criminal act of any sort to bring potential liability upon himself and others.

However Scruggs responds:

4. The allegations contained in the first sentence of paragraph 4 are denied. Scruggs lacks information sufficient to admit or deny the remaining allegations contained in paragraph 4. Continue reading “Y’all reports Scruggs denies bribing Judge DeLaughter in Response to Patterson’s cross-claim in Wilson v Scruggs”

Law and Disorder in the City. More horror stories emerge from post Katrina New Orleans

Before I tackle the subject of post Katrina police shootings in New Orleans I’ll publically disclose the man whom I knew as my grandfather (actually step granddad) growing up in Waveland was retired NOPD. He was admired widely for years after he left the force by the other officers but not for any particular acts of bravery or heroism. Rather the adulation derived from keeping his mouth shut after he was indicted by the feds who were investigating mafia corruption in New Orleans circa 1950’s and 60’s. The story goes Carlos paid off the jury and the rest is history when he was acquitted. In all the stories granddad told me of his life as a police officer/mafia bagman never once did the term justice ever enter into the conversation. It simply was not in the culture of the NOPD. As such seeing the southern version of The Shield play out in the news through the years not much surprised me including the spectacular case of Len Davis. Ironically Davis’ murder trial was held before Judge Ginger Barrigan, a jurist known on Slabbed for her favorable disposition towards murderers and insurance companies. It is through that prism that I read today’s Times Picayune and saw their series on police shootings in New Orleans after Katrina.

Before we get to the article those readers not from the New Orleans area need to do one thing. Forget the “news” as it was reported at the time. The most sensational stories such as groups of tethered bodies floating about were actually myths. Yes there was lawlessness and looting as is typical after natural disaster but it was nothing like you heard on the news.

The reality is found in variations of a recurring theme that has been well chronicled such as in the book The Great New Orleans Gun Grab which featured Ashton O’Dwyer’s story, one that we highlighted last summer here on Slabbed. Gun Grab highlights the abuse of second amendment rights by NOPD after Katrina telling the tales of citizens who stayed to protect their property after the storm such as Larry Hirst, whose wife provided my favorite quote in the book as she addressed the authorities who were harassing her law-abiding husband:

“…between you and the looters” she said, I’ll take the looters. At least they act like we expect them to.” Continue reading “Law and Disorder in the City. More horror stories emerge from post Katrina New Orleans”