Former HealthSouth Corp. Chief Executive Richard Scrushy, who is awaiting trial as the accused mastermind of a $2.7 billion accounting fraud, on Monday began hosting a local morning television show that he used to paint the media as the devil incarnate.
Using a folksy manner and repeated biblical references, Scrushy compared the media to "old Satan sneaking in the back door" and said he hoped to use the medium to deliver what he called truth "without negative media spin."
The first airing featured the key figures in Alabama's two most celebrated recent legal entanglements as Scrushy interviewed former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy Moore, who was thrown off the bench for refusing to remove a monument of the 10 Commandments from the courthouse rotunda.
Scrushy bought the daily half-hour time slot for 12 months -- a period that goes well beyond the scheduled August start of his own criminal trial -- the general manager of local independent Birmingham station WTTO told Reuters.
"It's just like Ron Popeil's pocket fisherman," said Scott Campbell, comparing the Scrushy show to infomercials often used to sell gadgets. "We take it as paid programming."
The show, with Scrushy's wife Leslie as co-host, appeared to at least one interested attorney to be a blatant attempt to influence the potential jury pool in this "Bible Belt" town.
"It seems fairly transparent in terms of trying to sway a jury," said Doug Jones, who is representing stock holders in a civil suit against HealthSouth .
"It is an attempt to neutralize the adverse publicity generated by a government indictment, guilty pleas and civil lawsuits," Jones said.
Scrushy has pleaded not guilty to 85 criminal counts in the massive accounting fraud at the operator of rehabilitation hospitals and surgical centers he founded. Fifteen former HealthSouth executives have pleaded guilty to various fraud charges and may testify against Scrushy.
"Richard has been victimized ever since the story started by inaccurate press reports," said Charlie Russell, a media consultant to Donald Watkins, one of Scrushy's lawyers.
"Richard was looking for a consistent vehicle to present his point of view on some issues related to him personally."
Don Cochrane, a professor at Sanford University Cumberland School of Law, said Scrushy appeared to be attempting to curry favor with potential jurors.
"Juries see through phonies," Cochrane said. "In my experience if you try to manipulate a jury they will convict you faster than if you lie to them."
Kenneth Rosen, a University of Alabama law professor, said the show was a risky endeavor.
"It is unusual for someone under indictment to have a TV program," Rosen said. "Anything he says might be used by the prosecution."
The inaugural show opened with a montage of scenes of Scrushy interacting with his children, fishing, kissing babies and reading to black and white school children.
That was followed by Leslie's morning devotional in which she quoted from a Bible passage that included the phrase, "you will refute every tongue that accuses you."
"We will refute every tongue that accuses us," she added.
One commercial interrupted the show -- a 30-second spot for Alamerica Bank, the bank owned by Scrushy attorney Watkins.
