I read recently that a man in California who had pled guilty to a similar charge in one of these “dishonest services” cases had his guilty plea thrown out by a federal judge who concluded that his “little white lie” was not relevant to the success of the investigation therefore, he was not guilty of “obstructing” it. Maybe someday someone will look at DeLaughter’s deal. If the Feds had no intention of bringing bribery/conspiracy charges against Ed Peters (which was apparently the case) how could DeLaughter’s “lie” regarding the number of times Peters contacted him been relevant to their investigation? (DeLaughter’s discrepancy was not about WHETHER Peters had contacted him but rather, how many times.). If the purpose of their investigation was to prove bribery/conspiracy by Scruggs/Peters, they’d only need to prove that Peters approached DeLaughter ONCE It would not matter if he actually contacted him DOZENS of times or only ” the couple” that DeLaughter acknowledged.
Bobby DeLaughter, who as a prosecutor and judge put thousands of people behind bars, is expected to report to prison Monday.“It’s tragic for him, tragic for his family and tragic for our state,” said Matt Steffey, professor at Mississippi College School of Law. On July 30, DeLaughter stepped down as a Hinds County circuit judge and pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in a corruption investigation involving multimillionaire and former lawyer Dickie Scruggs.He had requested to serve his 18-month sentence in federal prison in Pensacola or Montgomery so his wife, Peggy, could visit, but the Bureau of Prisons decided he would serve his time more than 600 miles away at the federal prison in McCreary, Ky.DeLaughter admitted he lied to FBI agents when he said he had two conversations with Peters about a pending lawsuit against Scruggs, now serving seven years in prison on corruption charges. Prosecutors said DeLaughter actually had dozens of conversations about the lawsuit with Peters, who was working for Scruggs. Peters had been hired by the Scruggs team to influence DeLaughter and eventually was paid $1 million, according to prosecutors.Peters, who has surrendered his law license, will serve no time because he received immunity in exchange for his cooperation, and authorities say he has returned what remained of the $1 million…
DeLaughter and his family are now seeking to sell their restored Civil War-era house named Hiawatha. The three-bedroom, three-bath home in historic Raymond is listed for $500,000.He will spend the rest of 2010 behind bars, but by the the next holiday season, he could be in a halfway house in the Jackson area…
Under disciplinary rules, he, Scruggs and others convicted will never be able to regain their law licenses.
Since 2002, lawyers convicted of most crimes may reapply for their law licenses after three years. But licenses can never be reattained if the crime “involves interference with the administration of justice, false swearing, misrepresentation, fraud, deceit, bribery, extortion, misappropriation, theft, the sale or distribution of a controlled substance, or an attempt, conspiracy or solicitation of another to commit such a crime.”
Steffey said he foresees DeLaughter working for a law firm as a jury consultant, strategist, arbitrator, mediator or the like. He also can foresee the former judge and prosecutor possibly writing a book on his experiences. DeLaughter’s first book was Never Too Late: A Prosecutor’s Story of Justice in the Medgar Evers Case.
All in all, today is a good day to remember One man’s convicted felon is another’s father, son.
Bobby DeLaughter was a CANCER on the Mississloppy Justice System. He was and is “a dirty Judge”. In my view, there’s not much lower SCUM on the face of the earth than those who would betray their oath of office and the “system” they swore to uphold, and abuse the power they were given by a “trusting” electorate. Bobby DeLaughter hung a “For Sale” sign outside of his judicial office. I also believe that he got off “light” by negotiating a guilty plea to One Count of obstruction of justice, ie. lying to the FBI. He could (and should) have been charged with much “more”, although all of the witnesses against him (with the exception of Ed Peters) are self-admitted FELONS, currently serving hard time in the Federal Penitentiary, which could have rendered convictions somewhat problematic. If there is “justice” in this , and if there is a God, then I hope that the USDOJ and the FBI are looking at Bobby DeLaughter’s tenure on the Bench in order to determine whether the Scruggs/Peters/DeLaughter bribery scheme wasn’t Bobby’s “first rodeo”, with vigorous prosecution of any other crimes which may be uncovered as a result of investigation. With Bobby DeLaughter now in prison, where he belongs, perhaps the USDOJ and the FBI will be in a position to shift some of their resources to Louisiana, where equally malignent cancerous growths as Bobby DeLaughter are flourishing on the Federal and State Court Bench.
With the ongoing selective federal actions here in MS.I’d have to wonder. This has been made a big deal of, but it’s not the biggest. What get’s my attention are some remaining facts.
1. the plea deal stopped all actions to further discoveries.
2. how many redeos rode may not be known except for at least one.
In 2008 Judge DeLaughter dismissed a cause settled for millions. The documents of that action sought billions. The actual claims were settled without a trail. The settled cause is claimed to have prevented corporate backruptcy at the tune of $500 billion saved by the defendants. Saving friends and family from paying their share is what he provided as with the Scruggs matter.
So how does one dismissed such a cause of massive injuries including property loss? Hold a trial for fraudulent claims? We’ll they did and guess what that failed as well. As did all apeals as well a demand to the judge. At presnt the overseeing judge of settlements refuse to release the awards and is presently a surpreme court judge. The attorney for plaintiff of real cause is a sate sentator andall the attorneys on both sides are in the money.
And Bobby has all this knowledge of these events but claims he’s broke. We’ll if he really is. His corporate buddies and all those state officials should put up a collection or Bobby should just start talking. If he doesn’t the money will ALREADY be waiting his release as the judge who saved you billions, so what’s my cut?
Delaughter may well be broke Robert. From what I’m hearing your favorite State Senator is.
Re-opening the cases tainted by Delaughter’s criminal acts and ex parte communications with his former running buddy Ed Peters is not an easy thing. You see even now that DeLaughter is a self admitted felon one must prove his rulings were wrong under the law to get anywhere. Unfortunately there may never be a remedy for the damage done.
As for the Feds their case against Bobby Delaughter must have been mighty weak for them to cut such a terrible deal that did not serve the public’s interest. Ed Peters deserves to be in Kentucky in the cell next to Judge DeLaughter, not at his fish camp in Grand Isle.
sop
My favorite senator was alleged to have filed a new claim on our behalf in 1998, unfortunedly it held the same civil action number and name {mine} to the previously accepted offer and maintaining of hundrens of millions in awards. As far as ED. I’m from Dulac La. and know Grand Isle isn’t in another country. If ED. is still on the wanted list,hey!
Ah, the proof will problily do little to help whomever. The entire settlements were on my family our names alone are on the courts documents. A trial seeking awards for a class joiner failed, to a failed corporate attempt to dispose toxins which went no further than, you guessed it. My home. If DeLaughter’s past rulings will be reviewed then the court will most likely claim our cause was before someone else. It’s only been 10 years since the settlements.
For someone who loves his family and sought only to care and love them. Not wanting anything to do with what I see as an unreal society. The world is a fake my friends. When things like this happens it happens to people. There’s nothing to the facts or that it occurred to us. It could have been anyone. Even you. The facts in our cause are to open and shut. Any real action would produce results in accordance to the facts or proof very fast. That isn’t here.
I do have a question though. If the feds found out about Bobby’s other dealings after they started his prosecution ie. the backing of major corporations wouldn’t we expect to see exactly what’s going on. I don’t see Bobby taking the blunt of everyone else’s actions while sitting in prison. And one last thing I don’t hate or even dislike any of these person’s they are failures who can not abide by rightousness and I will only be forgiven to the extent that I can forgive. All my personal battles in this matter was with Satan. I couldn’t care less for his servants.