Breaking: Judge orders ex-Enron CEO Skilling imprisoned immediately

MSNBC is reporting...

>>>...And so the corruption pyramid collapses. More as soon as I have it..<<<</p>

Updated: 6:37 p.m. ET Dec 12, 2006
HOUSTON - A federal appellate court denied former Enron Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Skilling’s request to remain free during his appeal Tuesday and ordered him imprisoned immediately.

>>>Anyone want to bet it is not the LAST of BUSHco, Inc to see the slammer???<<<<<</p>

Skilling denied bail during appeals process
Earlier ruling would have continued house arrest for ex-Enron CEO
 
Judge Patrick Higginbotham of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in his two-page order that "Skilling raises no substantial question that is likely to result in the reversal of his convictions on all of the charged counts."

As a result, Higginbotham denied Skilling’s request for bail pending his appeal and vacated an earlier order staying his prison report date.
Skilling is now required to report to a low-security federal prison in Waseca, Minn., to begin serving his 24-year sentence on 19 counts of conspiracy, fraud and insider trading. He originally was to report to prison Tuesday.

Skilling, 53, is expected to argue on appeal that his trial should have been moved from Houston to avoid negative publicity and that many witnesses who could have supported his defense were intimidated by the government’s refusal to grant them immunity and feared risking prosecution if they testified.

Skilling was convicted in May after a lengthy trial. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake sentenced him to 24 years and four months in prison. Lake later denied Skilling’s request to remain free on bond.

>>>I suspect that many of rats at Cheney's last employer might want to consider a house in a country WITHOUT an extradition treaty with ther USA.<<<</p>

•  tips?

  by FloridaVoter on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:02:43 PM PDT

  •  Karmic! I'm delighted that some of these gonifs

    are getting their just desserts!!

    Aloha. . .

    by dolphin777 on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:13:02 PM PDT

•  Great news

  For everbody but Skilling and probably his family.
  He should have come clean early on.

  by manwithnoname on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:03:44 PM PDT

  •  I agree.When you fly the flag as Skilling did...

    ...for Enron and Ken Lay..you sometimes go down with the ship.

    by FloridaVoter on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:06:26 PM PDT

  •  No.

    He should have come clean early on.

    Are you suggesting he should have broken the law early on, then come clean?  I'd rather he had obeyed the law the entire time.  Had he stayed clean, thousands might still have their pensions, and Enron's stock might still be worth something.

    by horsewithnoname on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:37:23 PM PDT

  •  Skilling and Merrill ???

    Skilling did it.

    But he couldn't have done it without help from Merrill Lynch.

    They created his shell corporation deals. They faked the loans that Skilling posted as income for Enron.

    Money out of these deals also went to insiders in Houston. None have been prosecuted, far as I have read.

    Enron retirees suing Merrill ??? Waiting for that one to arrive.

    by vets74 on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:47:31 PM PDT

•  I will believe it

  when I see it.  He has always got a pardon from bush to fall back on.

  by Owllwoman on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:09:50 PM PDT

•  thanks for the update

  I was not please when I read this AM he would be allowed to stay out of jail pending his appeal. At least we still have a few good judges in this country.

  by OneCrankyDom on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:10:07 PM PDT

•  The Image of Skilling at the Enron Hearing...

  claiming that he had no idea things were that bad is what makes him the capitalist poster boy of the year.

  by Mr X on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:15:43 PM PDT

•  So who do you think is next?

  I read this story and it got me thinking about who is likely to be indicted next and/or convicted.

  Anyone come to mind?

  I suspect once the Democrats take over in January, anyone in the "Bush Circle" is fair game.

  Especially if you had a no bid contract and made a fortune on the blood of US Soldiers.

  I have not been keeping real close tabs..but I would love to see Iraq war profiteers serve some time in close proximity with a Black Muslim cell mate who needs a "bitch" to wash his socks.

  by FloridaVoter on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:17:54 PM PDT

  •  All of them

    I read this story and it got me thinking about who is likely to be indicted next and/or convicted.

    Anyone come to mind?

    DailyKos doesn't have the server space for me to list everyone...

    by MikeBaseball on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:20:38 PM PDT

    •  Who do YOU think should be Next? I will add poll

      Names and Crimes?

      I will Start:
      Name             Crime
      G W Bush         Cheating on an election in 2000.

      Nuff Said on him..Next?

      by FloridaVoter on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:38:01 PM PDT

      •  I Lewis "Scooter" Libby

        there's your next conviction

        2 counts of lying to the FBI

        2 counts of Perjury

        1 count of Obstruction of Justice

        trial starts in January

        by Zapp Branigan on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 05:30:11 PM PDT

•  Here's hoping

  That Jeffie gets a well endowed cell mate.

  by Richard Lyon on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:27:33 PM PDT

  •  He's going to min security

    Odds are he'll be bunking with low-level drug runners.  They put 'em up four to a cell where he's headed.

    by horsewithnoname on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:39:02 PM PDT

•  And ....

  
  
  ... the same fate can happen to Dick Cheney if the Democratic Party gets off the dime and Investigates and files the charges (Impeachment).

  The only way that they can escape is if we stay silent about it and pretend that their behavior was lawful.
  
  
  
  

  by PaxAmericana on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:35:06 PM PDT

•  Non Violent Criminals

  This raises an interesting question, from my point of view: what is the value of incarcerating non-violent criminals?  

  The primary value of incarceration is removing dangerous people from society so that they cannot continue to harm others.  But in the case of many (if not most) non-violent criminals, that is not really at issue.  

  I think that it would be much more cost-effective to punish and deter non-violent criminals without incarcerating them: fines, restitution, community service, house arrest, prohibition from certain types of employment, etc.

  I understand that it is emotionally satisfying to a lot of people, but I think it is a waste of resources.

  by johnny rotten on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:37:21 PM PDT

  •  You ignore deterrent value

    There's a decision processing in committing premeditated crimes, such as the white-collar crimes of which Skilling was convicted.  The threat of serious prison time factors into that decision.

    by horsewithnoname on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:41:15 PM PDT

    •  Sure

      It's an empirical question, I suppose, whether the threat of prison time adds any significant deterrence over and above losing everything, being humilated, convicted of felonies, and so forth.  I don't think it necessarily would, but I agree that it is an empirical question.

      by johnny rotten on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:44:32 PM PDT

      •  I will always give a rec for a tagline like yours

        WOW..I love it...

        by FloridaVoter on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 05:50:17 PM PDT

  •  I agree, Waste no more than the CRIMINAL

    >>>I understand that it is emotionally satisfying to a lot of people, but I think it is a waste of resources.<<<</p>

    Great Idea...so, if you rob a company, wipe out 1000's of jobs and ruin many peoples lives.. I say you can work in a prison factory for 10-45 cents per hour. When you have paid everyone back you get to go home.

    by FloridaVoter on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:41:39 PM PDT

    •  I am not sure how you are

      responding to anything I said.

      by johnny rotten on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:45:19 PM PDT

  •  P-U-N-I-S-H-M-E-N-T.

    by vets74 on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:48:19 PM PDT

    •  There are lots of ways of punishing people

      other than incarcerating them.  I question whether incarceration is the best method of punishment for many non-violent crimes.

      by johnny rotten on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:50:51 PM PDT

      •  I actually agree in some cases...not all

        For example a guy has a drug problem. He commits some minor crimes to feed his habit. In cases like this, a long prison sentence makes little sense when the solution is rehab and maybe a work-release program that allows him to build job skills.

        Are we on the same page?

        by FloridaVoter on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 04:54:50 PM PDT

•  let me see if I got this straight ???

  Skilling, 53, is expected to argue on appeal that his trial should have been moved from Houston to avoid negative publicity and that many witnesses who could have supported his defense were intimidated by the government’s refusal to grant them immunity and feared risking prosecution if they testified

  take out all of the bullshit, and look at that statement again

  many witnesses who could have supported his defense ... feared risking prosecution if they testified

  in that case, they would be co-conspiritors, not witnesses

  what kind of country do we live in when your partners in crime are not allowed to testify on your behalf unless they agree to be charged with the same crimes you are convicted of committing ???

  I don't think this guy gets it

  by Zapp Branigan on Tue Dec 12, 2006 at 05:22:27 PM PDT