posted on January 31, 2006 01:50:50 PM
I AM BETTING 30 MILLION WILL BUY A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD FOR LAY AND SKILLING. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL THESE GUYS GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRIMES?
Beginning Jan. 30, 2006— a jury will be asked to decide if Enron's leaders intentionally lied about the financial health of the Energy trading company so they could dump the company stock before it went bankrupt.
For former Enron officers Jeff Skilling, who sold $200 million in stock, and Ken Lay, who sold $300 million, the stakes could not be higher.
"If I am found guilty of these counts, I can be sentenced up to 175 years in prison," said former CEO Lay.
When Enron employees were given just a half an hour to clean out their desks in December 2001, more than $1 billion in pensions had evaporated and 11,000 people eventually lost their jobs.
Bitter Employees
"I hope they lock them up for quite a while and keep them there," said Dale Roberts, a former Enron employee who lost his life savings of $50,000 and had to turn to a local church for food.
Charles Prestwood lost $1.3 million from his retirement after his former employer went under.
"At my age, see I was retired when the implosion at Enron happened, there is no way I can remake that money," he said. "My life, it's turned 180 degrees from where it was when I retired."
He said he was advised to leave his money in the company stock because prices would eventually come back up.
Like Roberts, Prestwood would like to see Lay and Skilling harshly punished.
"I want justice to be served and that justice would be going to jail — a long time 20 or 30 years at least," he said.
Questions About Fairness
This seems to be the prevailing sentiment in the Houston area where Enron was based and where the trial is taking place. Many legal experts question whether a Houston jury can keep an open mind during the trial.
These guys have been made demons now for four years. Are we going to find 12 people and four alternates who were not subject to that," asked attorney Rusty Hardin.
While the court of public opinion may already have convicted Enron's leaders, the government's task force has a mixed record. One problem for prosecutors is that this case is all about aggressive and complicated accounting practices. The defense team has spent $30 million preparing for this trial, which is expected to last four months.
"I think the legacy of the prosecutors will be a disaster if they were to lose this case," said Phillip Hilder, a former federal prosecutor.
posted on January 31, 2006 03:25:10 PM
Having worked for Enron and having met Key Lay, I think it possible he is innocent. Can't say the same for Skilling and the others.
But to answer you obviously slanted post sheepa, what would you spend to hire the best defense attorney possible to keep your azz out of jail?
"“More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they don’t get the New York Times over there.”—Jay Leno".
posted on January 31, 2006 07:15:55 PM
Pocket change. Look how much they looted out of their own employees' pensions...that this scum is still walking around the streets (even the streets of Texas) is a sin.
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posted on January 31, 2006 07:20:24 PM
Hey Bear,
I would love to see Lay and Skilling both die in jail. But like I said 30 million can buy get out of jail cards.
Unlike Lay and Skilling and several conservative lawmakers. I don't break the law so don't need money for defense attorneys.
Btw, I didn't watch DUMBO's speech tonight.
I have already heard enough LYING AND BROKEN PROMISES FROM THE CONSERVATIVES.
Karl Rove has already said the Conservatives are going to run again on scaring people about terrorists. They have nothing else to run on.
Hey Bear maybe you can fill me in, how long did it take for Dumbo Bush to mention terrorists tonight? LOL
One speech I watched a few weeks ago it took Bush all of 27 seconds to say "terrorists"
