Judge will rule soon on venue change (Mrs. Jeffrey Fastow)

[Judi Lynn]

Oct. 29, 2003, 11:38AM

Judge will rule soon on venue change
© 2003 The Associated Press

A judge said Wednesday that he would rule soon on the request for a venue change in the trial of the wife of former Enron Corp. finance chief Andrew Fastow.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner, who initially recused himself from Enron-related cases along with several other federal judges in Houston because he had invested in the bankrupt company, did not say when he would rule on Lea Fastow's request for her Feb. 10 trial.

Her husband's legal team have said they plan to ask to move his April 20 trial as well.

Lea Fastow is charged with six counts of filing false tax forms and conspiracy for allegedly participating in and profiting from some of her husband's schemes.

Andrew Fastow is charged with nearly 100 counts that include conspiracy, insider trading, money laundering, fraud and filing false tax forms for allegedly masterminding myriad partnerships and financing schemes that inflated profit and hid debt at Enron while enriching him, his wife and others. (snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/ap/tx/2190038