Suicide of Balch & Bingham attorney William "Bo" Lineberry adds a tragic and stunning turn to apparent federal probe related to North Birmingham scandal

Bo Lineberry

An attorney at Birmingham's embattled Balch & Bingham law firm committed suicide yesterday, adding a sad and shocking turn to reports of a possible federal investigation related to the North Birmingham Superfund bribery case. William Dice "Bo" Lineberry reportedly played a central role in setting up a financial entity that was at the heart of the Superfund scandal. From a report at banbalch.com, under the headline "Attorney Commits Suicide; Federal Investigation Rocks Balch and Southern Company; Crosswhite Out?" Writes Publisher K.B. Forbes:

Federal Judge Abdul K. Kallon resigned a week ago. Last Thursday, two Assistant U.S. Attorneys allegedly resigned, now sources told us and we confirmed this morning that Balch & Bingham partner William Dice Lineberry, known to many as “Bo,” committed suicide early yesterday.

Lineberry was the Balch lawyer who helped set up the money laundering entity Alliance for Jobs and the Economy (AJE) in the North Birmingham Bribery Scandal.

Former Balch partner Joel I. Gilbert and ex-Drummond executive David Roberson were convicted in the scandal and are currently in federal prison.

Hours after the suicide, Balch updated Bo Lineberry’s profile with an “in memoriam” and simply mentioned Lineberry had “passed away.”

We, the CDLU, set aside our differences, and extend our deepest sympathies to the Lineberry family and Bo Lineberry’s colleagues at Balch & Bingham during this very difficult and sad time.

Sources tell Legal Schnauzer that Lineberry attempted suicide at an unknown time in the hours prior to yesterday morning. He was transported to a local hospital and removed from life support early Tuesday.

Balch was at the center of the North Birmingham matter, but the case's impact goes well beyond the law firm's walls, Forbes writes:

In June of 2019, investigators in Washington, D.C. told us that Balch was not the problem but that Alabama Power was, due to the bottomless resources at their command. Now, this last fall, sources told us Mark A. Crosswhite, the Chairman and CEO of Alabama Power and former Balch partner, was the alleged target of this obstruction of justice probe.

Tom Fanning, the Chairman and CEO of Alabama Power’s parent company Southern Company, appears to have let their most profitable subsidiary do what they want with impunity.

Will Fanning lead by example and force Crosswhite to resign or retire?

The Three Stooges (Balch, Drummond, and Alabama Power) appear to have manipulated federal prosecutors during the North Birmingham Bribery Trial.

And CDLU’s three letters with documentation to the Office of Professional Responsibility at the U.S. Department of Justice in late 2019 and early 2020 apparently spurred a much-needed federal investigation.

The rebirth of the North Birmingham Bribery Scandal appears to be sweeping and strong, with three federal resignations and, sadly, a suicide.

Who and how many of the Three Stooges’ lackeys and alleged co-conspirators will be held accountable?

Lineberry's suicide likely stands as the most shocking incident in a string of troubling events related to the North Birmingham matter. But the scandal, whether it's in criminal or civil court, seems to keep growing, leaving this question: What will turn up next, and will someone (or some entity), ultimately, bring the corruption -- long tied to Alabama's business, legal, political, law-enforcement, and judicial communities -- to an end? Writes Forbes today:

The JeffCo Medical Examiner confirmed moments ago that they have Lineberry’s body,  and a detailed report will be issued in four to six weeks.

For years we have used the word “carcasses” figuratively to describe all the individuals who have been fired, arrested, or soiled by their relationship with Balch and/or their sister-wife Alabama Power.

And now someone has killed himself. A father. A husband. A respected lawyer.

Heartbreaking. Tragically heartbreaking.