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The Alabama Supreme Court agreed Friday that a land dealer and lawyer accused of trying to cheat a 92-year-old Jackson woman and her disabled sister should pay the sisters $1 million in punitive damages.

The 7-0 decision upheld a Clarke County jury's verdict in a lawsuit brought against Willie E. Sheffield of Grove Hill and a lawyer James Tucker by Lillian P. Andrews and her sister, Minnie May Pugh. The jury also awarded $10 in compensatory damages.

Punitive damages are awarded to punish wrongdoing. Sheffield is also scheduled for trial April 29 on a theft of property charge stemming from the alleged scheme with Mrs. Andrews' former attorney, James Tucker.

Tucker, described by a prosecutor as a longtime friend of Mrs. Andrews, has pleaded guilty to the same charge. He is serving a one-year sentence assigned to a prisoner work release program.

The sisters' attorney, Wyman Gilmore Jr. of Grove Hill, said their property, some 800 acres of timberland they inherited, is valued at some $1.9 million.

"They drew up six bogus deeds to everything in the world I had," Mrs. Andrews said in a telephone interview. "I was just floored. You cannot imagine having somebody try to get every thing you have."

Sheffields's attorney, Edward Turner Jr. of Chatom, said he would ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision.

"It was undisputed that all the fraudulent conduct was conducted by Jimmy Tucker...," Mr. Tuner said.

Alabama Deputy Attorney General Bruce Lieberman, who prosecuted the criminal case against Tucker, said the state contends Tucker acted "at the urging on Sheffield."

Tucker's attorney, Luke Coley of Mobile, could not be reached for comment.

Mr. Gilmore said Mrs. Andrews "needs a real thick magnifying glass to read" and her sister was disabled by a stroke two years ago.

He said Sheffield allegedly paid Tucker $15,000 to get Mrs. Andrews to sign deeds to some 800 acres the sisters' inherited.

"she thought she was signing tax documents," Mr. Gilmore said.

Court records show Mrs. Andrews' will was also allegedly changed by Tucker.

"She (Mrs. Andrews) had trusted Tucker for the last 10 years," Mr. Gilmore said. "That lady had cried in my office day in and day out. She still doesn't believe what happened."

Mrs. Andrews' offered to end the legal dispute in return for her land being turned back over to her, he said.

"All she wanted was her property back." Gilmore said.

Sheffield has filed for bankruptcy protection since the lawsuit was files and has allegedly undervalued his assts, partly with a claim that $500,000 he took with him to a Mississippi casino was either lost or stolen he said.

"He ain't no more bankrupt that a billy goat, " Mrs. Andrews said.

Mr. Lieberman, who considers the punitive award "very fair, " said Sheffield has been held in contempt of bankruptcy court, partly because of under estimating his assets. Mr. Gilmore said the judge reduced the jury's recommended $2 million punitive damage award to $1 million.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Montgomery Advertiser

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