Heads and tales: Siegelman and Scrushy guilty
By Wade KwonGuilty: Former governor Don Siegelman, right, was found guilty today on seven counts of bribery, mail fraud and obstruction of justice. Ousted Healthsouth CEO Richard Scrushy, left, was found guilty on all six counts of bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud.
During the 42-day federal trial in Montgomery, Siegelman ran for and lost the Democratic nomination for governor, while Scrushy continued his ministry building through his TV show and plans to feed African children. The jury, seven black members and five white members, spent 11 days deliberating — at one point, deadlocked but charged by U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller to continue.
Also on trial were Siegelman’s chief of staff Paul Hamrick and state highway director Mack Roberts. The jury acquitted Hamrick and Roberts on all charges.
Siegelman served as governor from 1999 to 2003, losing his re-election bid to Bob Riley in a tight race. Siegelman maintained throughout the proceedings that the charges were politically motivated. Scrushy founded sports rehabilitation hospital chain Healthsouth in 1984 and was ousted in 2003. He was acquitted in the $2.7 billion fraud scandal involving the Birmingham-based company in 2005.
Prosecutors said that Siegelman traded favors for gifts and campaign donations and that Scrushy had arranged for $500,000 to be donated to Siegelman’s campaign for a lottery.
Sentencing dates have not been announced. Maximum sentences are five to 20 years, minimum sentence is probation, with home confinement a possibility.
Always a patsy: One of the lesser players in the Healthsouth debacle ended up with eight years in federal prison. Hannibal “Sonny” Crumpler could’ve faced 15 years plus $1.3 million in fines. Contrast that with 15 other execs found guilty who earned probation to five years in prison. Who says there’s no justice for the little guy?
• Ex-HealthSouth exec sentenced [Birmingham News]
Also:
- Martin Luther King Jr.: Don’t put me in the middle of your corruption trial
- So much for the amen corner defense
- Maybe they can room together in prison
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