DeLaughter Sentenced to 18 Months

Courtesy WLBT

Former Hinds County prosecutor and judge Bobby DeLaughter will find out the price for his guilty plea today.

by Adam Lynch
November 13, 2009

Update: U.S. District Judge Glen Davidson sentenced DeLaughter to 18 months this afternoon.

Former Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter will hear his sentence for obstruction of justice this afternoon. DeLaughter pleaded guilty to the charge in June, after initially denying accusations that he had lied to federal authorities about the number of times he spoke with former Hinds County District Attorney Ed Peters regarding a legal fees suit.

FBI agents claim DeLaughter, a prosecutor working for Peters during Peters tenure as district attorney, had numerous conversations with his former boss in the months leading up to and during the Wilson v. Scruggs lawsuit. Members of the legal team for attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs —who pleaded guilty to corruption—claim they had paid Peters $1 million to influence DeLaughter to make decisions favorable to Scruggs in the Wilson suit.

DeLaughter has maintained that he ruled logically and fairly in the case, and only pleaded guilty to misleading agents on the number of times he spoke to Peters. His plea agreement dropped four other counts against him that federal authorities filed this January, including mail fraud conspiracy and his alleged involvement in the bribery scheme.

Prosecutors said last year that Scruggs' team, which included convicted attorneys Joey Langston and Timothy Balducci, promised DeLaughter that Scruggs' brother-in-law Republican Sen. Trent Lott would consider recommending DeLaughter for a federal judicial appointment.

Both DeLaughter and Lott denied the accusation. Lott said he only made calls to DeLaughter and never submitted his name as a candidate for a judgeship.

Mississippi College School of Law Professor Matt Steffey said Peters, who is walking free because of his aid to federal prosecutors in snagging DeLaughter, is the real criminal.

"Peters approached DeLaughter with the bribe. He has admitted to this," Steffey said. "He made himself to be an illegal influence for hire. It's nothing but avarice and trading on his former role as a district attorney and trusted former confidant. It's one thing to plead to a reduced charge, but in my judgment, complete immunity was too high a price to pay. Nobody else escaped scot-free like Peters, who merely disgorged the net proceeds of his ill-gotten gains to federal authorities."

Alabama attorney William Wilson sued Scruggs in 1994, claiming Scruggs had bilked him out of millions in legal fees on a lucrative asbestos lawsuit. He received a $1.5 million payment in the suit thanks to DeLaughter's interpretation of his contract with Scruggs, although a special master for the court recommended Wilson get $15 million.

Wilson filed a civil suit in January, the same month of the federal indictment, alleging a conspiracy that involved Scruggs, DeLaughter, former auditor Steven Patterson (who worked on Scrugs' legal team), Peters and a former U.S. Senator, who was unnamed in the lawsuit.

Wilson reached a settlement on that suit this week, though the details of the suit are confidential.

Stay tuned to the Jackson Free Press for updates to this story.

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