May 26, 2013
Former HealthSouth executive Emery Harris refused to answer any questions in federal court Thursday.
Harris, a former vice president for finance and assistant controller for the company, invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 95 times under questioning from attorneys for ex-CEO Richard Scrushy.
Defense attorneys called Harris to testify in a hearing over whether Scrushy's assets should be released to him. A judge temporarily froze Scrushy's millions after the government filed suit against him and HealthSouth, alleging massive accounting fraud.
Defense attorney Tom Sjoblom attacked Harris for NOT testifying about his deal with the government to plead guilty to fraud charges, saying the court shouldn't believe anything Harris said in the plea agreement.
Harris pleaded the Fifth, just as other witnesses who have already pleaded guilty have done.
