By Alabama Public Radio
Birmingham, AL – A contributing reporter with The Birmingham Times says she was paid to write sympathetic stories about Richard Scrushy during his fraud trial. Audry Lewis says she received 11-thousand dollars through a public relations firm. She also says Scrushy usually read the articles before they were published. The public relations firm -- The Lewis Group -- is headed by the founder of The Birmingham Times, Jesse Lewis, Senior -- no relation to Audry Lewis. Scrushy denies authorizing the payments but says he knew the P-R firm made them. The Birmingham Times is the city's oldest black-owned paper.