Perhaps Grasso would me interested in taking the plaque in lieu of the $140 million. Any takers on that bet?
A cautionary tale for any children out there thinking about drinking while under indictment:
Skilling Told to Stop Drinking, Get Treatment, Obey Curfew
By Carrie Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 8, 2004; Page E01
washingtonpost.com
A federal judge yesterday ordered indicted former Enron Corp. chief executive Jeffrey K. Skilling to abstain from alcohol and to submit to random testing and weekly treatment sessions as a condition of his continued release on $5 million bond.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy noted that Skilling already had completed two weeks in an alcohol treatment program and proposed that Skilling be subject to a late-night curfew to be set at a later date.
"Personally I can't imagine what good thing could happen outside of your home between the hours of 12 and 6 a.m.," the judge said, according to two spectators in the Houston courtroom.
Skilling, who faces trial next year on 35 fraud and insider trading charges, tussled with patrons outside a Manhattan bar April 9 , according to a New York City police report. The police took Skilling to a hospital, where prosecutors said his blood alcohol level tested 0.19 percent, more than double the legal driving limit in most states.
The incident prompted an investigation by court officials and the Justice Department's Enron Task Force, which had asked the court to order Skilling to put up $2 million more in bond and to restrict his travel. The judge yesterday declined to take those steps, but she did suggest that he begin volunteer or community service work to fulfill other conditions of his release.
Defense lawyers said Skilling had been working hard to help them fight the government case and that he had been unable to pursue his business, Veld Interests Inc., because the government has frozen $66 million of his assets.
"Obviously, Mr. Skilling regrets the episode and wishes it never happened," lead trial counsel Daniel M. Petrocelli said last month. He said yesterday by e-mail: "We are pleased by the court's resolution of this matter."
Stacy required Skilling to pay for the alcohol treatment and testing, as well as the mental health counseling she ordered for him.
She also said Skilling should avoid contact with witnesses in the case, saying all such conversations should take place between lawyers. Prosecutors said that Skilling had encountered Michael J. Kopper, a former Enron finance executive, recently while driving and had honked his car horn and shouted, "Hang in there," at him.
Kopper pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges in 2002 and continues to help the government investigate other high-level executives at the Houston energy firm.
Violating the conditions of release could have resulted in contempt of court charges, the forfeiture of the $5 million bond, or the revocation of bail altogether, according to court papers. Prosecutors declined comment yesterday.
© 2004 The Washington Post Company |
