There is little irony in W.C. Fields providing the title quote as the line between comedy and tragedy is thin. The extent to which the wealth of Dick Scruggs was considered in his sentencing was nothing short of a tragic violation of his Constitutional right to equal justice – and that’s far more reprehensible than anything Scruggs did.
And yet you – – you neither thought you needed money or did need money; yet you committed a reprehensible crime which, in my opinion, is one of the most reprehensible crimes that a lawyer can commit, the corruption of the rule of law which he’ s sworn to uphold…
Another thing that doesn’t make any sense – – well, it makes your crime more reprehensible is the justice system has made you a rich man; the court system has made you a rich man. And yet you have attempted to corrupt it…
The concept of equal justice is the bedrock of democracy, articulated as early as 430 B.C. by Pericles.
Our constitution…favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy. If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences… Continue reading ““A rich man is just a poor man with money” – Scruggs denied right to equal justice”