Judge: Skilling can get interest from seized millions

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/front/2626742

A federal judge ordered that ex-Enron CEO Jeff Skilling should get what could be about $1 million in annual interest off some of the $66 million in assets frozen by the Justice Department when he was indicted.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake issued an order made public today that will provide Skilling with 50 percent of the interest income from the bulk of his frozen assets. The government will keep the other 50 percent and add it to the frozen funds that could be shared by victims of Enron's demise should Skilling be convicted.

Daniel Petrocelli, the Los Angeles-based head of Skilling's trial team, said Monday that though they still contest the government's right to seize any of the assets, this compromise will at least allow his client money for living expenses, taxes and insurance. He said Skilling is still "grievously prejudiced" by the ongoing freeze of the assets.

Enron Task Force prosecutors have alleged that the funds are the profits from crimes Skilling committed while at Enron. Andrew Weissmann, director of the task force, had no comment on the judge's order today.

[bossfish]

1. It's good to be rich...

But the cops can take your car if you drive downtown and buy a bag and you get caught...

[sally343434]

2. Pay attention, children

Crime DOES pay!

[cybildisobedience]

21. That reminds me....

what ARE we going to tell the children about:
- the raping, the pillaging
- the unjustified war
- the torture
- the theft of our democracy and our freedoms?
and on and on?

Oh, that's right -- they're still too traumatized over an episode of oral sex to care.

[Ganja Ninja]

25. But only if you steal enough.

Rob a liquor store and got to jail. Bilk an entire state and the law can't touch you.

[daleo]

3. If he loses the case

Will he have to pay back this interest? The story is vague on this point, but I think not.

[TahitiNut]

4. It's not a prosecution; it's a partnership.

:puke:

[2Design]

5. why aren't those funds going to the employees who lost

everything

[truthisfreedom]

6. and how often are the proceeds of drug dealers' activities treated with

that sort of "care?" where the perp can keep the "interest?"

at least drug dealers provide a product to their customers for the money they receive illegally.

[w4rma]

7. Un-freaking-believable!

Republican appointed judge, I'll bet. Trying to pay back Skilling for the help he gave in Bush's (and other Republicans') campaigns.

And why did "Andrew Weissmann, director of the task force, no comment on the judge's order"? Part of this case is going to be reliant on the public's opinion of the case. Who appointed Weissmann as head of this task force?

[0rganism]

11. Do you suppose Skilling will now donate big to the RNCC?

I wouldn't be even a little surprised to see this happen.

[saigon68]

8. THE RICH DO GET RICHER---

THE POOR THEY ARE SO DREARY. </sarcasm>

[Algomas]

9. It's the sharks looking out for each other...

After all, top-notch legal services don't come cheap.

[0rganism]

10. This makes me very angry, very angry indeed

I want to know how in the name of all that is fair and balanced, this master criminal gets A MILLION BUCKS from the court. When the feds indict a hippy for posession, they get to sieze all assets on SUSPICION of guilt and start a separate CIVIL proceeding against the property, aka CIVIL FORFEITURE. I have NEVER, EVER, in my ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE seen an indictee in a drug posession case allowed to collect interest on his/her assets, or granted an annual living stipend of $225000, even if s/he was "grievously prejudiced" by having his/her life savings auctioned off by the government. No doubt, such a grant could have greatly assisted many a person "money for living expenses, taxes and insurance."

Lesson to evildoers: we will pay you big money to commit crimes on Wall Street, even if you get caught

OT: Sim Lake? Isn't that a classic game from Maxis?

[gatlingforme]

13. I agree. The Rockefeller Drug Laws are prime anlalogy to your

post. Skilling is a leech. His brother gives the weather in Chicago. bunch of pukes.

[Tellurian]

20. The Rockefeller drug laws are geared to protect the oil/energy industry..

and should be overturned. Rockefeller has utilized legislation in an overt fashion to protect petroleum (read family trust) from the prolific use of Hemp Oil as an alternative fuel source.

[gatlingforme]

26. that could be too, but Rockefeller lobbied for those laws for

political gain as well.They should be repealed

[Tellurian]

27. I couldn't agree more..nt

[AlecBGreen]

12. boo fucking hoo

a thief is a thief is a thief. i never understood how a poor man can get 20 years for stealing a car but a rich man gets 3 years in a posh cell for stealing BILLIONS...

[spooked]

14. How ELSE will all the LAWYERS get paid!?

He SHOULD be assigned a public defender!

[0007]

15. Scumbags and an asshole judge.

[drscm]

16. Gee, I hope a million dollars is enough for living expenses,

taxes and insurance -

Not to mention a few well-placed campaign contributions.

In *Bush world, crime continues to pay.

[leesa]

17. And what kind of illogical bizzare, judicial decision is this?

I'm so happy that if I have property seized, I will still be able to make cash with it.

[Coventina]

18. self deleted

removed due to the post was a violation of my Quaker influenced values.

Moment of anger. Very sorry.

[KansDem]

19. Wasn't the "Forfeiture and Seizure" law created because of piracy?

If I recall correctly, this law was written as a reaction to piracy on the high seas during the 19th century. It was resurrected in the latter half of the 20th century as a result of the drug war, and as been used in non-drug related offenses...

And I thought it was written to COMBAT piracy, but it appears to have been written to ASSIST pirates...

Silly naive me...:crazy:

GOP government: "BY pirates, FOR pirates..."

[DemoTex]

22. Fat bastards.

Fat fucking bastards.

[tom_paine]

23. Of course he can. Of course he can.

But an African Amerikan caught in the Tyrannical Amerikan Empire gets no such considerations.

[Guaranteed]

24. F*ck YOU, Skilling.

You goddamned piece of SHIT.