The Associated Press is reporting:
A federal jury today acquitted Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz Jr. of Biloxi on tax evasion charges, likely ending a legal saga that has kept Diaz off the bench for more than two years. “I’m ready to get back to doing the job the people elected me to do,” a smiling Diaz, 46, said after hugging his parents outside the federal courthouse in downtown Jackson.
Diaz was cleared by another federal jury last summer in a judicial bribery case that also involved two former Gulf Coast trial court judges and a high-profile trial lawyer. The tax-evasion indictment against Diaz was handed down in March 2004 but was not made public until the bribery trial ended this past August.
U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton could not immediately be reached for comment after the verdict.
So, it would be very interesting to figure out how much these cases cost the taxpayers.
Previous Comments
Wonderful news. McDuff and Byrd rocks. Glad to see the judge be able to move on.
#173306 | Author: Ray Carter | Date: Apr 28 2006
GOOD LORD! I have to wonder if there’s anyone else Dunn Lampton will be asked to target. We’ve seen a multimillion dollar smear of a MS Supreme Court Justice, based on his politics.
#173307 | Author: jp! | Date: Apr 28 2006
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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.
