Jackson Free Press

Folo's got the poop on a new Wilson v. Scruggs lawsuit—which alleges a conspiracy between Dickie and Zach Scruggs, Ed Peters, Bobby DeLaughter and a "former United States Senator":

Roberts Wilson, victim of the Ed Peters/Joey Langston scheme in Wilson v. Scruggs before Judge DeLaughter, has sued Scruggs in a civil case in the federal court in Northern Mississippi. He's also sued Peters, Steve Patterson, Tim Balducci, Zach Scruggs and a series of John Doe defendants.

The case has been assigned to Judge Biggers, who handled Scruggs I. I have to assume the plaintiffs lawyers will be pleased by this. But more amazingly, his complaint names Judge DeLaughter and a "former United States SenatorԖ which can only be Senator Trent Lott– as participants in a conspiracy to defraud Wilson in the Wilson v. Scruggs case.

The complaint alleges that Scruggs's law firm and the conspiracy were racketeering enterprises– essentially alleging that Judge DeLaughter and the unnamed senator were part of a racketeering organization.

To understand the suit, you have to understand the Wilson cases–his claim ended up being split between multiple courts. There was a claim before the state court (and Judge DeLaughter) for asbestos fees, and a claim before the federal court for constructive trust, that the non-paid asbestos fees were used by Scruggs to fund his tobacco litigation, and therefore Wilson was entitled to a share of the tobacco fees.