Alabama: Corruption Trial Delayed One Week

Corruption Trial Delayed One Week
By Lisa Blackwell

The retrial of the statehouse corruption trial is on hold.
That’s after a federal judge put jury selection on hold.

Jury selection was supposed to begin today in the retrial of seven defendants accused of a legislative vote buying scheme.

However Judge Myron Thompson ordered that today’s selection process be temporarily suspended.

The retrial of the statehouse corruption trial is on hold.
That’s after a federal judge put jury selection on hold.

Jury selection was supposed to begin today in the retrial of seven defendants accused of a legislative vote buying scheme.
However Judge Myron Thompson ordered that today’s selection process be temporarily suspended.
This comes after the sudden and unexpected death of one of the defendants in the case.

The trial scheduled for Monday, was put on hold after one of the remaining defendants, Ray Crosby, a former legislative employee, was found dead in his home early Sunday evening.

Former State Senator, Johnny Ford says Crosby’s death was a tragedy.

“He was a very decent person, no one’s perfect , Ray Crosby drafted legislation both ways, pro gaming and against gaming, both ways, he did his job as far as I was concerned,” said Ford.

It’s been about five months since jurors in the first corruption trial aquitted two defendants, Senator Quinton Ross and lobbyist Bob Geddie. Jurors couldn’t reach a verdict on 33 other counts involving seven other defendants.

Crosby was aquitted of all counts against him except one bribery charge. Defense attorney Susan James says she’s couldn’t comment on how his death will impact the trial, but she offered condolences to the family.

"We’re just terribly saddened by the death of Ray Crosby and our heart sympathy and condolences to his family and as it relates to other comments which just wait for further order of the court," said James.

An autopsy was performed on Crosby but the results have not been released pending toxicology reports.

Judge Myron Thompson has pushed the re- trial date back one week which means jury selection will start on Monday February 6.

VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, Crosby, Senator Harri Anne Smith, two former state senators and two others are accused of offering or accepting bribes in connection with a 2010 gambling bill.


Court Records Show Ray Crosby Filed Bankruptcy Before Death

Ala. gambling trial defendant had filed for bankruptcy shortly before his death
PHILLIP RAWLS Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — One of the defendants in Alabama's gambling corruption case filed for bankruptcy four days before he was found dead in his bed.

Court records show that 63-year-old Ray Crosby filed for bankruptcy Jan. 25 in Montgomery. He was found dead in his Montgomery home Jan. 29. He and six others were scheduled for retrial Jan. 30 in Montgomery, but U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson delayed the retrial one week due to Crosby's death.

Crosby once earned more than $150,000 annually writing bills for the Legislature, but by the time he died, he was so broke that a federal judge had to appoint an attorney to represent him for the retrial.

A close friend, former state Sen. Danny Corbett, found Crosby's body Sunday. He said Crosby appeared to have died in his sleep.

Corbett said Crosby had been under much stress due to the trial, financial problems, and a recent divorce. He also had listed his house for sale.

"He had run out of money. The federal government broke him," Corbett said.

Crosby's bankruptcy filing showed he had assets of $386,000 and liabilities of $618,136. He listed monthly income of $5,119 in retirement income from his state job with the Legislative Reference Service, but his house payment of $3,248 consumed much of that.

Crosby retired from his state job after being indicted in October 2010 for bribery. He was accused of taking $3,000 a month from casino owner Milton McGregor and advising McGregor about gambling legislation. Prosecutors said the payments totaled $72,000.

In the first gambling trial that ended in August, the judge dismissed most of the charges against Crosby, and the jury was split 8-4 for acquittal on the one bribery charge that remained against him.

Court records made public Tuesday show that Crosby sought the court's help paying an attorney for the retrial. A federal judge appointed Montgomery attorney Tommy Goggans, who represented Crosby in the first trial, to represent him in the second trial.

In the bankruptcy filing, Crosby reported owning Goggans $85,976.

He also listed more than $120,000 in credit card debt, a $48,000 debt to a family member and debt on his Montgomery home, which was valued at $374,400.

Crosby filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which is an attempt to reorganized debts rather than making a total liquidation.

Montgomery police are investigating Crosby's death. Police Sgt. Regina Duckett said the state Department of Forensic Sciences performed an autopsy, and police are waiting on a toxicology report.

A memorial service is planned for noon Thursday at the Church of the Ascension in Montgomery, with visitation at the church at 10 a.m.

Those scheduled for retrial Feb. 6, in addition to McGregor, are state Sen. Harri Anne Smith, former Sens. Jim Preuitt and Larry Means, casino lobbyist Tom Coker and casino spokesman Jay Walker.