Tennessee Waltz Finally Comes to an End

Memphis, Tn - There were no cadres of cameras and reporters present to trumpet his entrance or exit from the Davis-Horton Federal building on an overcast Monday.

Only sketches recorded the appearance of Dr. Roger Morgan entering a guilty plea before Federal Judge Bernice Donald...and only Morgan's attorney, William Massey, spoke of the outcome.

Massey announced, "Dr. Morgan entered a plea to count one of the indictments. In count one it alleged that he made a false statement regarding whether John Ford had ever asked him to make a donation to his legal defense fund."

With no fanfare and no previously anticipated appearance by twice federally-convicted former state senator, John Ford as a prosecution witness, the last vestiges of fallout from the monumental Tennessee Waltz political scandal came to a quiet end. Morgan, a psychologist admitted lying to FBI investigators about his efforts, in 2005, to lobby Ford to use his influence to get legislation passed which would have given psychologists the right to prescribe drugs. In exchange, Morgan would contribute money to Ford's legal defense fund.

Massey related, "The statute itself carries somewhere up to five yeas and that's the maximum. Of course, guidelines should substantially less than that."

As for the future of the 66-year old Ford, who was initially moved from a Mississippi prison to Memphis in order to possibly testify against Morgan, it's uncertain whether his transfer will be a permanent one. He continues to serve his sentence on bribery and wire fraud convictions. Massey says Morgan's decision to plead out was understandable.

Massey concluded, "Les, this was just hard on him. He's not accustomed to the system and the process and he wanted to get them behind him. So, he just stepped up and did the right thing and took his medicine."

Massey says Morgan will return to court on June 23rd to be sentenced by Judge Donald.