Update: This is a repost of Part One of the series on the sentencing because some people can’t see it from their IPS. Here are Part two, about the US Attorney statement, and Part three, about the Judge’s statement and sentence.
Tom Dawson spoke for the government and Tony Farese for the defense. Also present were Bob Norman and John Alexander from the US Atty and Steve Farese on Langston’s side.
Joey Langston’s statement:
I have said over the last 11 months nine days I’m sorry to so many people in so many different ways, I don’t think I’ve ever been able to find the words to communicate how sorry I am. I said I am embarrassed and ashamed and I really am. … the pain and suffering I’ve caused to people around me who didn’t deserve it. I’ve really struggled with what I’ve done, I’ve struggled with it spiritually and other ways. I’ve studied how people handle a fall from grace. There is really only one way: accept responsibility for what I’ve done. I try to identify those I’ve hurt with my senseless act and make it all right with them. It’s been frustrating. This is not a tragedy of nature… and I had a role in it. It changed the life of people around me … forever. I can’t imagine the sadness ever going away (choked up). I broke one of my own rules. For 25 years I practiced law and told all the young lawyers who came through my office that there is no client, there is no case worth placing your bar license at risk. But I did that.
He said he’s not sure what to ask.
Grace. Compassion. Not sure what to ask but think you will know. It’s been a nightmare. But I’m so sorry. If the good lord will give me some time I’ll do try to do right by others.
Tony Farese’s statement:
“This is the saddest day in my legal career, standing by my friend Joey Langston.” He talked about some history of Langston, “who played by the rules and became one of the most successful trial lawyers I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.”
I know the court wonders how could such a man be before you today. All I know is he’s made the most tragic horrible mistake a lawyer can make. It’s cost him everything. Cost him his license and law practice and cost him his honor.
The government confronted him in January this year, and when he was confronted, he chose to admit his guilt and make no excuses. On the same day he appeared in your chambers and began his cooperation [described in very general ways the cooperation]. I believe it led to the guilty pleas in the Scruggs case.
Many defendants are remorseful. Very few are repentant. He’s repentant. I have never seen anyone more contrite or remorseful than Joey. He made his wrong right by settling with Mr. Wilson. The settlement was substantial.
Farese referred to the 344 letters and Joey Langston’s heart attack.
Court is burdened with what is appropriate punishment. Very serious. Look at the 3353 factors, his good works. I believe he has given extraordinary acceptance of responsibility.
We’ve had additional punishment, the loss of his law license forever. The lengthy delay in sentencing has been detrimental to his health.
Farese referred to the long history of crime-free punishment in Joey’s life. [I don’t think it mattered, but the 5K motion made me wonder about whether going there was a good idea].
I’m not going to be presumptuous enough to ask for a specific sentence, I’m going to pray for leniency. I sincerely believe he has been repentant.
NMC, what do you think the chances of Trent Lott’s being roped into this thing are? First of all, do you think Lott had been apprised of the circumstances surrounding his phone call to Delaughter? If so, do you think that Langston knew that Lott was aware of the plot?
Federati, I’ll have a run at that while NMC is busy. The long-standing belief among those (a) close-in to this case that (b) I’ve heard from is that the timing of Trent’s resignation announcement was no fluke. Two reports from this time last year come immediately to mind:
(1) Scott Horton reported that Lott had two visits with/from the FBI — one pre-Thanksgiving that “didn’t go well,” and another post-Thanksgiving that went much better (i.e., he climbed down off his highhorse immediately after Dickie’s bust).
(2) There was also a story (I believe from Horton but also from another source or two as well) that AG Mukasey flat-out told him, “You’ve got 72 hours to announce your resignation or be indicted for obstruction.”
I can’t independently confirm either of those, just tell you they were out there a year ago. If true, they jointly and severally tend to suggest Yes answers to your questions.
Lotus, do you think that if Lott, Scruggs, Peters and Delaughter remain silent, the government will have enough to convict any of them with Langston’s testimony alone? (and the e-mail, ofcourse).
Federati, I don’t think Joey’s word for it is all they’ve got by any means. Apparently Ed Peters hied his fanny to Oxford and started spilling as soon as he heard about the bust — which thought, I imagine, petrifies any number of people (including, say, the likes of Mike Moore and Judge Houston Patton). Additionally, figures like David Nutt would have been looking for some serious CYA.
Betcha they’ve got an embarrassment of riches when it comes to evidence for Scruggs II. Maybe that’s why it’s taken them so long — just processing it all.
Here’s an interesting question via email:
“Any idea why Rex Deloach [Dickie's accountant] and wife were at the sentencing?”
Lotus can you post links to the two Horton reports you reference?
Lemme root around a bit for them, amicus. BBL . . .
Here’s one.
Here’s the other.
Thanks Lotus, has anyone figured out who is the “local crininal lawyer” retained by Lott referenced by the sources in Mississippi outlined in the Horton article?
Somebody told me once but that was a long time ago and I’m afraid I’ve forgotten. A name I hadn’t heard before.
BTW, putting “Mukasey Lott” in our search box brought me this post from 11/30/07 that you might enjoy. I was just feeling my way into the case (well, so was everybody then); NMC had just started commenting but we hadn’t made offblog contact yet. Feels like five years ago now.
Fast Eddie & The Dealaughterette’s headlining Scruggs II: The Fed Fest Musical Ensemble (Opening Jan ‘09??)
couple of quick comments: Here and elsewhere, Horton has had a tendency to argue ahead of the evidence, and a couple of times that has lead him astray when subsequent events brought out more facts. I don’t have time to pull out the details, but the role of Lott in this case is one of those instances.
2nd: At one of the motions hearing in Scruggs I, Tom Dawson said out loud (it’s in my post about it somewhere) that Lott was not a subject of this investigation but was only a witness.
I do not doubt your opinion as regards to this case, but the question that he (Lott) may have been overheard attempting to subdue the situation Scruggs had with Acker in Alabama may have some relation to his sudden resignation. Maybe?
answering federati in #1: Low, and that would be a guess, but I’d say there’s a good chance but only he and Scruggs know for sure, and I would ordinarily doubt whether Langston knows for sure whether Lott knew, although these people were kind of reckless so I may be wrong.
answering federati in #3: There’s the flow of money; they’ve traced all but that $50K in cash of the million to Peters, million to Langston, million to Patterson, as I understand it, and they also have testimony from Balducci and Patterson. And we don’t know what all else.
oh, flight records of Langston going down to give Peters tips on what they want DeLaughter to do, and possibly traces of the lunch meetings that were the same day.
#10: I’ve never heard a name but am curious.
Still no word on PL? Is he ‘the guy that gets away’?
If I had to guess, the Feds have all the information from Blake and Peters.
We just gotta hide’n'watch, ceece. Surely it won’t be much longer now (she sighed for the 20th or 30th time).
Air Langston’s flight logs ought to paint a pretty clear picture, uh-huh. Especially with some lunch traces attached — not meaning smears of bbq sauce here.
here’s the deal Lotus: it was flying Balducci down to meet with Peters just before Peters had a lunch meeting with DeLaughter. If there’s anything to date those lunch meetings, those are important puzzle pieces.
Where is P L Blake? Who is P L Blake? What has he been publicly accused of doing? Will someone give me a quick summary? He seems to be the smartest rat in the pack, and Dickie, Zach and Sid appear to be the dumbest.