Judge Denies Scruggs Dismissal Motion In Bribery Case; Balducci Testifies

In the first day of the pre-trial motions hearings in the federal bribery trial of Dickie Scruggs, Zach Scruggs and Sidney Backstrom, US District Judge Neal Biggers on Wednesday denied defense motions to dismiss the indictments, ruling that the defendants played an active role in the case. The highlight of the hearing was testimony by cooperating witness Timothy Balducci, who has pleaded guilty. Balducci not only testified about his interaction with the defendants in connection with the attempted bribery of state Circuit Judge Henry Lackey, he also testified about his knowledge of Dickie Scruggs’ alleged similar acts in the Ed Peters/Bobby DeLaughter bribery case in which former Scruggs associate Joey Langston has pleaded guilty. In that exchange with Dickie Scruggs’ defense attorney John Keker, Balducci said he saw draft copies in Scruggs’ office of the order Judge DeLaughter later issued, and that Scruggs offered to use the influence of his brother-in-law, former US Sen. Trent Lott, to obtain consideration of a federal judgeship for DeLaughter.

The hearing continues today with consideration of the motions to sever the trials of Zach Scruggs and Sidney Backstrom and the change of venue motion; Judge Biggers asked for briefs from both sides before ruling on the motion to suppress wiretap evidence. The trial is scheduled to begin on March 31. Daily Journal here, Clarion-Ledger here.