Scruggs Update: Plea agreement details

As part of a plea agreement, the government dropped the other four counts of wire fraud and the like, leaving Scruggs with a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Backstrom faces a maximum two and a half years in prison.

Sitting in his Porsche SUV outside his attorney's bed & breakfast The 512, Scruggs said he could not talk about the guilty plea.

There is still no word from the university on how they will handle the guilty plea.

More information will be available later.

Scruggs pleads guilty

High profile attorney Richard Dickie Scruggs pleaded guilty this morning at the federal courthouse in Oxford. In an emotional plea, Scruggs pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to bribe circuit judge Henry Lackey. Friends and family cried as Scruggs changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.

Scruggs is a large donor to the university, has a building bearing his name and is slated to have a classroom at the new law school named in his honor. He has also committed to pay $1 million a year for 25 years to the liberal arts school so teachers could have a raise. So far university officials have not commented on the guilty plea.

Sidney Backstrom, a Scruggs Law Firm attorney, also pleaded guilty, with tears in his eyes.

"I wish to apologize to the court ... and my family," Backstrom said.

Neither was immediately sentenced, but both were placed on probation and had to meet with an officer.

The conspiracy charges hold a maximum of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing has not been set.

Zach Scruggs, Richard Scruggs's son, did not plea to the charges against him. His trial is currently set for March 31.

Zach Scruggs's attorney Todd Graves said this is completely different trial now and is talking with the government about a continuance.

Continue to check The DM Newsblog for more about the events unfolding in Oxford. Also, check Monday's edition of The Daily Mississippian for the full story.

Chelsea Clinton visits Ole Miss to campaign for mother

Photos by Danny Klimetz

Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former President Bill Clinton and presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), answered questions about her mother’s campaign and policy issues in front of a large crowd on the steps of the Student Union this morning.

Clinton answered questions on issues ranging from her mother’s universal healthcare plan to immigration reform, including education, crime prevention, alternative energy sources and the war in Iraq.

“I believe that there are differences in policy and in experience that matter in this election, and I would like to talk to you about those today,” Clinton said.

In response to a question about whether her mother could unify the nation, Clinton praised her mother’s willingness to reach across party boundaries but defended her stand on issues such as universal healthcare.

“That’s what I want in my president: I want somebody who can reach across party lines when able but also someone who will stand up for what’s right when necessary,” she said.

Clinton also referred to her mother’s universal healthcare plan as “the right thing to do—both morally and economically” and stated that her mother is endorsed by more generals and admirals than any other presidential candidate.

“I passionately believe that my mother would be the best president, and I passionately believe that she will be the most electable Democrat in November,” Clinton said.

College Democrat Jake McGraw, a sophomore public policy major, said he felt Clinton’s answers swayed some voters in the crowd.

“It’s obvious she (Clinton) gets her knowledge from her mother and her personal charm from her father. I think she convinced some people to vote for her mom just because of her,” McGraw said.

McGraw, who introduced Clinton, told the audience he already voted for Sen. Clinton by absentee ballot.

Freshman exercise science major Jeremy Locke, who described himself as skeptical of Sen.

Clinton’s campaign, said he remained unconvinced.

“Most of the things I heard were good ideas, but they were just that: ideas,” Locke said. “There’s no ‘how’ - no backing,” he said.

Sarah Dickey, a sophomore English major from Water Valley, described Clinton as articulate.

“I like what she had to say,” Dickey said. “I hadn’t formed my opinion before today, but I think now I have.

Clinton spoke at Ole Miss as part of her “HillBlazers” tour to universities across the U.S. to support her mother’s campaign.

Mississippi’s primary is Tuesday.

Grand Theft Auto comes to Oxford

Forty-six year old Abbeville resident Larry Gillom was arrested Friday after a patrol car pulled over the PT cruiser for reckless driving.

The report said Gillom was observed entering Highway 7 at University Ave. at high rate of speed. The officer followed the PT cruiser on to Hwy 278 and attempted to pull over the vehicle.

"The PT Cruiser failed to stop and began to flee from the officer," police chief Mike Martin said.

The PT Cruiser left Hwy. 278 and proceeded down Thacker Road. When the suspect reached the U-Haul Center on Thacker he ran away on foot.

After a short foot chase the police caught the suspect Gillom.

"While on the scene the officer was advised by dispatch that the PT Cruiser was just reported stolen from the Movie Gallery on University Ave," Martin said.

Gillom was arrested and charged with multiple crimes: reckless driving, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, failure to yield, driving with a suspended license, possession of marijuana, and grand larceny of an automobile.

As of 9 A.M. Monday morning Gillom was in Lafayette County Detention Center where he awaits a bond hearing/

MSU president resigns

Mississippi State University President Doc Foglesong unexpectedly resigned Friday after less than two academic years as leader of the university. His final day of work will be June 30.

In a prepared press statement, Foglesong, a retired four-star U.S. Air Force general, said: "With the express purpose of helping the university move forward, I have asked the commissioner of higher education that I be relieved as president not later than June 30, 2008."

Foglesong had recently received negative attention from some students, faculty and alumni for removing daffodils from the campus, not allowing architecture students to show their work in a window and for his lack of attendance at faculty senate meetings, among other things.

MSU will soon begin searching for a new president, the university's third in the last 10 years.

Scruggs Update: Jury to be anonymous

As students get ready for the beginning of Spring break Richard Dickie Scruggs will be here fighting bribery charges filed by the federal court.

In the latest round of motions and orders Scruggs, his son Zach and Sidney Backstrom have lost their appeal to stop an anonymous jury trial, a court order said.

“The court is of the opinion that the decision to not disclose the names and addresses of the jurors and their employers will not violate the defendants’ constitutional right to a fair trial before an impartial jury,” the order said.

The judges last paragraph explained what information will be available.

"...as the only information that will be withheld from the defendants and the governement will be jurors' names, addresses, and the places of employment - not types of employment. Otherwise, the court will provide the defendants and the government with a wealth of information about the jurors, including occupations, employers, children, length of residence in the counties in which they reside, their main sources of news, and an abundance of other information that will be brought on voir dire and the jury questionnaires."

U.S. District attorney also responded to claims by Zach Scruggs defense team alleging the prosecutors allowed “patently false” statement made by witnesses to be used by the grand jury to obtain an indictment.

“It is clear that the thrust of Balducci’s testimony concerned the fact that they paid Judge Lackey for the Order and needed to deliver additional ‘sweet potatoes,’” the response said.

"While Balducci described this additional payment and 'sweet potatoes,' nobody seriously contends they believed Balducci was taking potatoes to calhoun City."

District Attorney Tom Dawson feels there are other reasons behing Zach Scruggs motion to dismiss because of prosecutorial misconduct.

“The Court should not countenance gratuitously inflammatory motions that would only appear to be designed to influence the potential jury pool,” the response said.

The three defendants were charged in November for bribing Circuit Judge Henery Lackey in order to be granted a favorable ruling in a fee dispute case concerning a Hurricane Katrina settlement.

The trail is set for March 31.

2008 ASB election results

The 2008 Associated Student Body election results have been announced and are as follows:

Graham Purcell
President

Megan McRaney
Vice President

Josh Randle
Treasurer

Stewart Hood
Secretary

For more information, check tomorrow's issue of The Daily Mississippian.

Gov. Haley Barbour declares State of Emergency

According to a press release issued today by the Office of the Governor in Jackson, Gov. Haley Barbour has declared a State of Emergency following the severe weather and tornadoes that struck of Tues., Feb. 5. Alcorn, DeSoto and Lafayette counties were among those damaged in the storm.

Representatives from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency were deployed to assist the counties and make preliminary damage assessments. The Salvation Army, American Red Cross and other volunteer agencies also assisted in North Mississippi.

The State of Emergency allows state resources to be used in the areas most heavily damaged by the storm. It also gives emergency responders the authority to provide services to the storm victims quickly and efficiently.

For more information, check Thursday's edition of The Daily Mississippian.

Video: Damage in on Old Highway 7

Footage shot on Old Highway 7 on Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. by Senior Video Reporter Jessica Scanlon.

Video: Lafayette County damage

Video by Nathan Alber