SCANDALS: LEGAL IMMUNITY IS FINGER-LICKIN’ GOOD

Chicken king DON TYSON, long one of independent counsel DONALD SMALTZ’s prime targets in the investigation of former Agriculture Secretary MIKE ESPY, has been thrown a bone. Summoned before a grand jury last week, Tyson, the retired chairman of Tyson Foods, was planning to take the Fifth when he was corralled in the hallway and offered immunity by Smaltz’s team. It’s a deal, replied the astonished Tyson. For two days he testified about his few contacts with Espy and the small favors, like tickets to a Dallas Cowboys playoff game, he provided for him. Smaltz, who has made many enemies during his investigation, may have realized that he could not clip the Chicken King, say some of the lawyers with a stake in the case, and seems resigned to sacrificing him in a final lunge at Espy. He may also be hoping to trip up Tyson with perjury charges, and he could still indict Tyson’s company. Smaltz has indicated he will wrap up his probe by early summer.

–By Viveca Novak