Scruggs Bribery Case Judge Denies All Defense Motions

US District Judge Neal Biggers on Tuesday denied three more major defense motions in US v.Scruggs et al. Biggers refused to suppress wiretap evidence, to prohibit introduction of similar bad acts evidence under federal rule 404(b), and to sever the trials of Zach Scruggs and Sidney Backstrom from the trial of Dickie Scruggs. Last week he denied defense motions for dismissal and for change of venue (earlier here and here). The Daily Journal story is here; Rossmiller has links to all the orders here.

Still pending is the prosecution’s Friday motion requesting an anonymous jury, or alternatively a sequestered district-wide jury. The defense response late Monday opposes an anonymous jury but does not take a position on a sequestered jury.

In other Scruggs-related news:

• The AP has picked up the story (here) on the FBI Balducci memo bombshell; while in the Yeah, Right department, AG Hood tells WLBT that his decision not to prosecute State Farm was not influenced by outside forces.
• In an interview with Anita Lee, former Sen. Trent Lott tells the Sun Herald that he is not a target of any judicial bribery investigation, only a possible witness.
• In the Jones v. Scruggs civil case, the Katrina legal fee dispute that gave rise to the bribery case, Mississippi state Circuit Judge R. Kenneth Coleman on Tuesday postponed further action until the criminal case is completed. He made two other significant rulings: that the court has authority to impose sanctions on the members of the former Scruggs Katrina Group (now the Katrina Litigation Group, sans Scruggs), and that Scruggs’ actions would affect all the member firms (Legal Newsline here).
• The role of former Hinds County DA Ed Peters in a trade secrets lawsuit will be investigated. The case, Eaton v. Frisby (earlier), does not involve Dickie Scruggs, but like the Scruggs-related US v. Langston proceeding, it involves alleged improprieties by Peters and Hinds Circuit Judge Bobby DeLaughter (Clarion-Ledger).