A federal judge set a Feb. 2 trial date for the fraud trial of former HealthSouth Corp. chairman and chief executive Richard M. Scrushy.
The trial originally was scheduled to begin Jan. 5 before U.S. District Judge Karon Bowdre but was delayed because of the large volume of information in the case. She set the new date on Tuesday.
Scrushy pleaded innocent Nov. 4 to an 85-count indictment — including fraud, conspiracy and money-laundering charges — in what prosecutors say was a $2.7 billion fraud at the rehabilitation and health services giant. He has been free on $10 million bond.
Lawyers are due in court Dec. 9 to report progress and set a schedule for pretrial motions.
Scrushy’s attorneys filed a motion last week to have $79 million of his assets unfrozen. The government has frozen $278.7 million of Scrushy’s assets.