As you probably heard, Richard Scrushy was last week found not guilty of criminal charges in the billion-dollar HealthSouth accounting fraud scandal. Scrushy, feeling vindicated, has said he would like to work again at the company he founded. The folks left holding the bag at HealthSouth, however, are having none of it:

The new board and new management team remain appalled by the multi-billion dollar fraud that took place under Mr. Scrushy's management and the environment under which such fraud could occur," said Bob May, HealthSouth's chairman.

"Under no circumstances will Mr. Scrushy be offered any position within the company by this management team or by this board of directors."

Meanwhile, the experience (or maybe the SEC's intention to pursue perjury and obstruction of justice charges against him) has left Scrushy struggling with difficult questions about the human condition, teetering on the brink of existential despair:

"What happened to compassion in this world?" he asked on the steps on the U.S. District Court after a jury acquitted him of all charges. "What happened to the love we have for each other?"