Federal Grand Jury Hears Testimony in Judicial Bribery Case

A federal grand jury in Oxford will continue hearing testimony today in the ongoing judicial bribery scandal involving Dick Scruggs and others. Scruggs -- after his second guilty plea last month -- is now cooperating with prosecutors. MPB’s Sandra Knispel reports from Oxford.

Both disbarred New Albany lawyer Timothy Balducci and former state auditor Steven Patterson are due to start their two-year prison sentences today for their role in the judicial bribery scandal. Yesterday testimony began before a federal grand jury in Oxford for a possible third round of indictments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Norman had said last month that Balducci’s and Patterson’s testimony to the grand jury would be crucial. (

“The investigation is not over. And we would need their continuing cooperation in that investigation," Norman said.

A source close to the investigation said Patterson’s testimony was about political operative P.L. Blake and his role in ensuring that Dick Scruggs would repay the money that was part of the unsuccessful bribery attempt of Circuit Judge Henry Lackey. While the grand jury is due to reconvene today – Patterson will not appear again, but head to prison instead, said his lawyer Hiram Eastland Jr.

“Steve was offered the opportunity to postpone his reporting date in light of his cooperation with the government and ongoing grand jury proceedings, but Steve chose not to avail himself of that opportunity, because frankly he just wants to ... the sooner he reports as far he’s concerned the better. He wants to put this behind him for himself and his family," Eastland said.

It remains to be seen if this round will yield another indictment. So far seven men have been charged and six of them already sentenced.