FBI Descends on Area of Rural Mississippi Known for Eye-Popping Jury Award

[Judi Lynn]

FBI Descends on Area of Rural Mississippi Known for Eye-Popping Jury Awards
By Matt Volz Associated Press Writer
Published: Oct 3, 2003




FAYETTE, Miss. (AP) - For years, juries in this rural corner of southwestern Mississippi have been willing to return multimillion-dollar verdicts, attracting lawyers who were eager to capitalize.

Lately, a different sort have been snooping around: federal agents.

The FBI wants to know how individuals became part of these lawsuits and, perhaps, how juries were picked from an area where many people are kin or acquaintances.

Perhaps the most notable jury award in Jefferson County - a poor black county of less than 10,000 residents - was $150 million given to five plaintiffs in 1999 against the makers of the diet drug fen-phen. The case was eventually settled with more than 800 other fen-phen cases for a reported $400 million.
(snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAN6YM0CLD.html

[leetrisck]

1. So why are the Feds involved?

Don't really understand why but then since we have the "Slime" in office, the Feds are involved in everything.

[Gman]

2. This is none of the Fed's business

It is strictly a state matter, period stop. They have no business sticking their nose into the sovereign matters of a state. It will is strictly against the preachings of right wing conservative ideology for the Feds to get involved in state matters.

That said, where ever it is convenient, they will do it. The classic example is sticking the Fed's nose in to Florida's state conducted 2002 elections. Of course, there is also the redistricting in TX and CO. Now there's jury verdicts in MS.

Complete, unadulterated, 99.04% pure hypocricy.

[havocmom]

3. Another example of using taxpayer resources (FBI) as private Corporate

security!

///Can't let some folks in MS get away with these attacks on Corporate Amerika's efforts to avoid the personal responsibility they tout for everyone but themselves! Those big $$$ judgements get in the way of big $$$ donations to the pols. Gotta call out the fed troops to stop this exercise in human rights before it spreads like falling dominos...///sarcasm off///

[tlcandie]

4. Has to do with corporations getting sued .. *ie's backers!

So, ASSkrack is going to put his foot down for his top dawg, *! He warned that too many judges and such weren't toeing the hard, cold rule of law and passing out maximum sentences...for individuals that is NOT corporations!

/sarcasm off

EDIT: This is why there will be no WHorehouse investigation...NO TIME and too many other irons in fire!

[Mississippi Liberal]

5. As much as it disgusts me to defend Ashcroft et al

This may in fact be a federal matter. I'm quite familiar with the situation in Jefferson and Claiborne counties, and I also am familiar with Shane Langston, who is pond scum and a blight on the legal profession. If the lawyers in these cases (who are NOT representative of the legal profession in Mississippi and the U.S.) engaged in deliberate jury tampering and other unethical practices to get these large verdicts, then I can see how it raises the possibility of racketeering charges.

More importantly, lawyers like Langston are ultimately the liberal's worst enemy, because they enrich themselves through tactics that reflect badly on all of us and lay the groundwork Repug "tort reform" that harms us all. I do not believe that Mississippi could have passed the aggressive tort reform bill that it did last year but for public outrage over the Jefferson County situation.

Some background to show what I mean: Mississippi is one of the few states that does not allow class action suits in state court. However, Mississippi case law does have what are considered liberal joinder rules. (Joinder is the process by which multiple plaintiffs with different claims can sue the same defendants.) In fact, these rules are interpreted so liberally that it's not uncommon to have more than 100 plaintiffs in a case, all of whom bought their Fen-fen or OxyContin or whatever in different parts of the state from different pharmacies. If anyone of those plaintiffs purchased drugs or at least claims to have purchased drugs in Jefferson County, then venue is proper there and all 100+ plaintiffs can bring suit there.

Jefferson County is a small, extremely rural community where pretty much everyone knows everyone else. There is only one pharmacy in the county seat. The circuit court judge is known to regularly go golfing with plaintiffs lawyers and has on several occasions been disciplined for failing to recuse himself when he had a conflict and for ex parte communications with plaintiffs' lawyers. (Ex parte means he only talks to the lawyers on one side about case matters, which is unethical.) Shane Langston is also the son-in-law of Chuck McRae of the state supreme court and perhaps one of the most corrupt human beings I've ever personally known. Specific provisions of the tort reform act were written in for the express purpose of overturning his dumber decisions. For more info about the Langston-McRae connection, Google "McRae" and "Mississippi Supreme Court".

[TolstoyAndy]

6. This excuses repealing 10th Amendent?

Amazing how the feds now love to trample states' rights,
now that they have the fed power.

MS Lib, this is not a personal attack - I just wanted to say s/th on this thread.

Corporate personhood is a vile misreading of the Constitution that has led us to this terrible precipice we stand on.

[TacticalPeek]

7. "You picks your corruption and you takes your chance."

I am sympathetic with your remarks, and, in fact, you are right.

But selective use of the DOJ and fibbies' power must disturb you as well, no? Try to picture a RICO task force descending on Texas and slaying the dragons of corporate corruption of that judicial jungle, felling mighty pols as they go.

I see it more practically, like Clinton did the campaign finance mess: Yes, its pretty bad, but unilateral disarmament is not a good option, except maybe for the hopelessly moral fringe.

Isn't "US Attorney Dunn Lampton" a former R candidate? And aren't the state processes at least somewhat handling this? Given the current priorities of the FBI, is it best that they be set upon cleaning up ALL the states' messes? Or just this state, in line with the agenda of contributors of massive resources to their current bosses? What stinks around, stinks around.