OXFORD - An attorney for mystery man P.L. Blake, somehow wrapped up in the scandals of former Oxford attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, strongly suggests his client is under investigation for actions related to the conspiracy to bribe Circuit Judge Henry Lackey of Calhoun City.

That comes from an Internet post by Blake's new Oxford attorney, Thomas Freeland IV.

Freeland writes to confirm his hire by Blake and to say he will continue to blog about legal matters, but "not involving what has been referred to as Scruggs I."

And he repeats he'll be writing about items that catch his eye, "but not about either Scruggs I or my client until any part of the matter that might involve him is concluded."

Federal prosecutors named the Lackey case Scruggs I.

Published reports have tried to second guess how or if Blake will be implicated in that scandal or Scruggs II relating to suspended Circuit Judge Bobby DeLaughter of Hinds County.

Others also have suggested the existence of a third scandal, Scruggs III.

Blake, a former Mississippi State University athlete from Clarksdale, has been described as Scruggs' handyman or someone hired to go behind the scenes of a situation and work it to suit the client.

Blake has said that over the years Scruggs paid him $50 million and he cut a lot of news clippings for the then-attorney, who led national legal fights against asbestos and cigarette manufacturers.

Scruggs, now disbarred, pleaded guilty in two judicial bribery cases and was housed in Oxford from February until recently while federal investigators sought his cooperation in various inquiries, including Scruggs I and Scruggs II.

DeLaughter is the only other publicly indicted defendant in Scruggs II. He is accused of allowing himself to be compromised by Scruggs and others over a legal-fees lawsuit, Wilson v. Scruggs, and of lying to the FBI.

DeLaughter pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Scruggs, originally sentenced to five years in a Kentucky prison, was moved recently from Oxford to the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Contact Patsy R. Brumfield at (662) 678-1596 or patsy.brumfield@djournal.com.