Read The Fall of the House of Zeus Online
Authors: Curtis Wilkie
28
He resorted …
Telephone conversation between Balducci and a man identified only as “Bruce,” recorded by the FBI, Oct. 3, 2007.
29
Shortly after the conversation …
Telephone conversation between
Balducci and Ed Peters, recorded by the FBI, Oct. 3, 2007.
30
Federal authorities …
Interviews with confidential sources.
31
“Perfect,” Peters said …
Telephone conversation between Balducci and Peters, Oct. 3, 2007.
32
Jim Biden …
Telephone conversation between Jim Biden and
Balducci, Oct. 15, 2007.
33
In late October …
Interview with Tom Dawson.
34
Lackey described …
Journal of Judge Henry Lackey, entry dated
Oct. 25, 2007.
35
While Judge Lackey …
Telephone conversations between Patterson and Balducci, recorded by the FBI, Oct. 9, 2007; Oct. 15, 2007.
36
In a letter …
Letter from Scruggs to Balducci, Oct. 18, 2007.
37
When Balducci …
Undated invoice from Balducci to Scruggs Law
Office.
38
One afternoon …
Telephone conversation between Steve and Debbie Patterson, recorded by the FBI, October, 2007.
39
As November approached …
Interview with Gillespie.
40
“I have Band-Aids …
Telephone conversation between Balducci and unidentified man, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 5, 2007.
1
As Halloween approached …
Telephone conversation between Tim Balducci and Steve Patterson, recorded by the FBI, Oct. 18, 2007.
2
He called …
Telephone conversation between Patterson and Jere Nash, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007.
3
Nash was able …
“Former Teamsters President Ron Carey Indicted,” CNN, Jan. 25, 2001; interview with Nash.
4
Patterson reported …
Telephone conversation between Patterson and Dick Scruggs, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2009.
5
Patterson called Nash again …
Second telephone conversation
between Patterson and Nash, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007.
6
He wore …
Meeting between Balducci and Judge Henry Lackey,
videotaped by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007.
7
Shortly after …
Interview with Tom Dawson.
8
Less than four …
Balducci conversation with Dick Scruggs and Zach Scruggs, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007, interview with Zach Scruggs.
9
(A few days …
Interviews with Zach Scruggs, Joey Langston. Letter from Dick Scruggs to D. Eric Lycan and William H. May III, Oct. 19, 2007.
10
The arrangement …
Telephone conversation between Patterson and Balducci, recorded by the FBI, Oct. 20, 2007.
11
Patterson and Balducci …
Letter from Patterson and Balducci to Lycan and May, Oct. 20, 2007.
12
(The quarrel …
Interviews with Dick Scruggs, Zach Scruggs, Langston.
13
The dispute …
Conversation between Balducci and Zach Scruggs, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007.
14
“When did you …
Conversation between Balducci and Sid Backstrom, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007.
15
During his painful …
Interview with Dawson, confidential sources.
16
Balducci had …
Interviews with Zach Scruggs, Backstrom.
17
In the privacy …
Conversation between Balducci and Backstrom, Nov. 1.
18
As they …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
19
Zach Scruggs …
Conversation between Balducci, Backstrom, and Zach Scruggs, Nov. 1.
20
Balducci and Backstrom …
Conversation between Balducci and Backstrom, Nov. 1.
21
Before he left …
Conversation between Balducci and Dick Scruggs, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007.
22
Scruggs paused …
Interview with Dick Scruggs.
23
His concentration …
Conversation between Balducci and Dick Scruggs, Nov. 1.
24
In a letter …
Letter from Scruggs to Balducci, Nov. 1, 2007.
25
Balducci felt …
Conversation between Balducci and Bill Delaney, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007.
26
By the time …
Telephone conversation between Balducci and unidentified man, recorded by the FBI, Nov. 1, 2007.
27
Although Balducci …
Interview with Dawson.
28
On the same day …
Email from Tim Cantrell to Meg Grantham, Holly Mooney, Nov. 2, 2007.
1
“Thinking is not …
“As Usual, Coach O’s Bright Idea Leads to a Dark Day for His Ole Miss Squad,” Geoff Calkins,
Commercial Appeal
, Nov. 24, 2007.
2
In fact …
Interviews with confidential sources.
3
During an early-season …
Conversation with Dick Scruggs.
4
He had loaned …
Interviews with Dick Scruggs, confidential sources.
5
On the Sunday …
Interview with Dick Scruggs.
6
At times …
Conversation with Trent Lott, September 2007.
7
When Lott …
“Sen. Trent Lott Announces Resignation,” Associated Press, Nov. 26, 2007.
8
When Scruggs was asked …
Interview with Humphreys McGee.
9
There was a greater shock …
Interviews with confidential sources.
10
Early on the morning …
Interview with Sid Backstrom.
11
“I think …
Interview with Diane Scruggs.
12
Scruggs seemed …
Telephone conversation between Steve Patterson and Dick Scruggs, recorded by the FBI, Oct. 18, 2007.
13
Zach Scruggs …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
14
Outside the Scruggs …
Interviews with confidential sources.
15
A search warrant …
Application and Affidavit for Search Warrant, filed by William P. Delaney and signed by Judge Neal Biggers, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi, Nov. 16, 2007.
16
A second search …
Application and Affidavit for Search Warrant, filed by Delaney and signed by Judge Biggers, U.S. District Court, Nov. 26, 2007.
17
Scruggs was standing …
Interviews with Dick Scruggs, Zach Scruggs.
18
Around the corner …
Transcript of testimony by Tim Balducci before a grand jury, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi, Nov. 2007.
19
While Balducci …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
20
In a coordinated strike …
Interview with Tom Dawson. Confidential Human Source (CHS) Reporting Document of the FBI giving details of Steve Patterson’s converation with agents, Nov. 27, 2007.
21
Once hurried …
Interviews with confidential sources.
22
According to an FBI …
CHS Reporting Document of the FBI on Patterson.
23
After listening …
Interviews with Dawson, confidential sources.
24
Patterson and Hailman …
Interview with John Hailman.
25
At Scruggs’s office …
Interviews with Dick Scruggs, Zach Scruggs.
26
On the coast …
Interview with Backstrom.
27
By this time …
Interviews with Zach Scruggs, Bruce Newman.
28
Langston decided …
Oxford Eagle
, Nov. 28, 2007.
29
Later in the afternoon …
Interviews with Zach Scruggs, Langston, Dawson.
30
As late November …
Interviews with Zach Scruggs, Langston.
1
Facing the threat …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
2
There was another …
Interview with Billy Quin.
3
While the lawyers …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
4
“The Scruggs Law Firm …
Letter from Don Barrett, David Nutt, and Dewitt Lovelace to clients of Scruggs Katrina Group, December 4, 2007.
5
Scruggs faced …
Interviews with Dick Scruggs, Zach Scruggs.
6
Backstrom and Tannehill …
Interview with Sid Backstrom.
7
Eventually …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
8
The prosecutors …
Interview with Tom Dawson.
9
At the press conference …
Oxford Eagle
, Nov. 29, 2007.
10
One of those …
Interview with Dawson.
11
Earlier in the year …
Interview with John Hailman.
12
The party …
Interview with Paulo Prada.
13
“People appreciate …
“It’s a Party Time for Dickie Scruggs in Oxford, Miss.—Home of Faulkner, Grisham Rallies Round a Lawyer Just Indicted for Bribery,” Paulo Prada and Peter Lattman,
Wall Street Journal
, Dec. 4, 2007.
14
That quote …
Interview with Prada.
15
Keker had picked up …
Interview with John Keker.
16
The source …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
17
Scruggs thought …
Interview with Dick Scruggs.
18
DeLaughter …
Interviews with confidential sources.
19
That evening …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
20
Tom Dawson …
Interview with Dawson.
21
Scruggs had been talking …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
22
A few days after …
Interviews with Dick Scruggs, Zach Scruggs, Joey Langston.
23
The government’s …
Interview with Dawson.
24
Around the office …
Interview with confidential source.
25
He returned …
Interviews with Dawson, confidential sources.
26
Balducci and his family …
Interview with confidential source.
27
At his hideaway …
Interview with Norm Gillespie.
28
“Dear Judge Gillespie …
Written message from Tim Balducci to Gillespie.
29
It was a troubled …
Interview with Zach Scruggs.
1
Like Dick Scruggs …
Interview with Joey Langston; “Good & Guilty,” Patsy Brumfield,
Northeast Mississippi Sunday Journal
, Feb. 3, 2008.
2
He defended …
Interviews with confidential sources.
3
By 1990, …
Interviews with confidential sources; “Jury Awards Paralyzed Man $21M,”
The Clarion-Ledger
, Oct. 13, 2005
4
The families …
“U.S. Judge Assesses Cuba $187 Million in Death of 4 Pilots,” Mireya Navarro,
New York Times
, Dec. 18, 1997.
5
Langston learned …
Interview with Langston.
6
One legislative victory …
Interviews with Langston, confidential sources; “Justice Nearer for Brothers Fliers’ Kin,”
Miami Herald
, Oct. 25, 1998.
7
At the eleventh hour …
Interviews with confidential sources;
“Terrorist Victims Set Precedent,” Bill Miller,
Washington Post
, Oct. 22, 2000; Section 2002 of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000.
8
For his troubles …
Interviews with Langston, confidential sources.
9
Balducci had first …
Interview with Langston.
10
An investigation …
Interview with Mike Moore.
11
After assessing …
Interview with Langston.
12
“I introduced …
Deposition given by Steve Patterson in connection with
Eaton v. Frisby
, June 18, 2009.
13
Jim Hood …
“Plenty of Fireworks in First-ever Held Local Political Forum,”
Desoto Times Tribune
, Aug. 1, 2007.
14
But Billy Quin …
Interview with Billy Quin.
15
With Hood …
“Hood Defends Allegations He’s Influence Peddling,”
Madison County Journal
, Sept. 27, 2007.
16
Ever since …
Interview with Langston.
17
Langston and Balducci …
Interview with Dick Scruggs.
18
Peters was familiar …
Interviews with confidential sources.
19
He was reelected …
“Ex-DA Leaves Scandal in Wake,” Jerry Mitchell,
Clarion-Ledger
, Jan. 11, 2009.
20
With his connections …
Deposition given by Patterson.
21
Peters and DeLaughter …
Wilkie,
Dixie
.
22
DeLaughter …
Never Too Late
, Bobby DeLaughter (Scribner, 2001);
Ghosts of Mississippi
, film directed by Rob Reiner, 1996.
23
The movie …
“Hollywood Gave Peters’ Big Scene to DeLaughter,” column by Sid Salter,
Meridian Star
, Feb. 14, 2009.
24
The idea …
Interviews with Dick Scruggs, Langston.
25
Peters asked …
Deposition given by Patterson.
26
Langston …
Interview with Langston.
27
Scruggs said …
Interview with Johnny Jones.