Judge Drops Counts Against Skilling, Lay (4 of 38 counts dropped)

[swag]

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060328/enron_trial.html?.v=11

HOUSTON (AP) -- A federal judge on Tuesday dropped three of the 31 counts against former Enron Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling and one of the seven counts against company founder Kenneth Lay.

As the prosecution rested its case Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake dropped two counts of securities fraud and one count of lying to auditors against Skilling, leaving 28 criminal counts against him; the judge also dropped one securities fraud count against Lay, a government prosecutor said.

All the dropped counts against Skilling pertain to crimes that allegedly occurred in the first quarter of 2000. Prosecutors didn't present evidence dealing with that time span. The dropped count against Lay pertains to a November 2001 conference call.

None of the counts can be refiled, the prosecutor said.

. . .

[Benhurst]

1. To be fair, these aren't dangerous people

like Martha Stewart.

[Kurovski]

5. ...or The Dixie Chicks.

[JohnnyRingo]

2. By the time it comes down to sentencing on the final few counts..

We'll hear someone say "They were just a couple good ole boys caught up in some sloppy book keeping".

Corporate America is a sub-culture that's been eating away at this country from within for years.
With buxh and Cheney in office, these will be known forever as their "golden years".

makes me sick.

[0007]

3. God! I hope you're wrong, man.

[JohnnyRingo]

6. Maybe I'm kinda negative about it, but they never cease to amaze me.

I read in today's paper that the "fixer" that Enron brought in to bring back the company was accused of some kind of unfair business practices.
He conceded to give up half of his $24mil fee.

Amazing.

[joeunderdog]

8. Sub-culture?

They OWN the culture.

It's not the Dems or the Pukes who run the country, it's Big Biz. They are Kings of Planet Earth, plain and simple.

[napi21]

4. Don't get excited! That still leaves 34 counts!!!!!

I would think Lay's attys asked for a whole lot more than 4 to be dismissed!

If I were Kenny Boy, I'd sure wish it were the other way around, and thet they would have dropped 34 and left only 4!

Kenny Boy isn't going to walk on this one. I read a lot of the testimony on this case. The prosecution is oding a good job, as are the witnesses they called. They told some very damning stuff, in therms any jury could understand.

[truthisfreedom]

7. heh. i love it! the freepers are weeping with joy! woohoo!