Richard F. "Dickie" Scruggs' attorneys claim to move bribe case out of Mississippi

Richard F. "Dickie" Scruggs, a former naval fighter pilot, a prominent lawyer, and one of the richest men in Mississippi awaits court decision on whether it’s better to move the bribe trial against him out of Mississippi or not.

Photo: Richard F. "Dickie" Scruggs' attorneys claim to move bribe case out of Mississippi

Scruggs' attorneys are sure that he won’t be able to get a fair trial unless it's moved. This assurance is based on the fact that this case has received widespread media coverage and formed a "poster-child for greed" image for Scruggs.

The new suggestion is either to dismiss the bribery charges or move the trial outside the state. His trial is scheduled for March 31.

Scruggs first came to the public eye after successfully suing the asbestos industry on behalf of ill shipyard workers. He later represented the state of Mississippi in the tobacco litigation of the 1990s.

On Wednesday, November 28, 2007 , a federal grand jury indicted Scruggs and four others on charges that they attempted to bribe Mississippi Third Circuit Court Judge Henry L. Lackey with $40,000. (Lackey himself was not implicated, as he was the one to originally contact the FBI about the attempted bribe.) This bribe was allegedly in exchange for a favorable ruling in a case brought by attorney John Griffin Jones against Scruggs and colleagues regarding legal fees related to the Scruggs Katrina Group litigation team.

Scruggs, who denies the allegations, faces up to 75 years in prison if convicted.

Photo: www.lawfuel.com