The Fall of the House of Zeus (60 page)

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.