Langston says Scruggs 'stiffed' him, too

Feb. 19--OXFORD -- Richard "Dickie" Scruggs didn't pay me what he said he would, says former Booneville attorney Joey Langston in newly filed court documents.

Even so, Langston said he paid former Hinds District Attorney Edward Peters his share -- $950,000 -- of what they "saved" Scruggs by

More than a year ago, Langston pleaded guilty to being part of a conspiracy to bribe Circuit Judge Bobby DeLaughter of Raymond to favor Scruggs against attorney W. Roberts Wilson Jr.'s claim the then-famed Oxford attorney owed him millions in legal fees from national asbestos lawsuits.

Wednesday, Wilson asked the U.S. District Court of Northern Mississippi for what's left from Peters' payoff -- $425,000 -- which the U.S. Attorney's Office has asked be held as forfeit for illegal deeds.

Wilson asked the court to "declare" he is the rightful owner of the money and entitled to it.

Recently, Wilson filed a new civil lawsuit against Scruggs, Peters and others claiming they conspired to deprive him of his rightful returns from the asbestos lawsuits and then used his money to further other illegal schemes.

In his filing Wednesday, Langston's affidavit says he paid Peters $1 million "even though I did not receive $3,000,000.00 from Scruggs."

Langston also says the $425,000 left from Peters' share should go to Wilson.

Wilson's filing echoes Langston, alleging that although the agreement was for $3 million to be paid to Langston, "Scruggs ultimately offset other claimed credits against Langston's $3,000,000.00."

Langston is set to report to prison on a 36-month sentence for his guilty plea.

Peters turned in his law license late in 2008, and last week DeLaughter pleaded not guilty to a five-count federal indictment accusing him of being corrupted to further the plot in Wilson v. Scruggs.

The other judicial bribery scheme, which first ensnared Scruggs and four others, was in their admitted efforts to bribe Circuit Judge Henry Lackey of Calhoun City. Lackey went to the FBI and the others went to jail.

For more details, read Friday's Daily Journal.

-- Click here for more PDF of files about the casse.

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