Lay’s Proposed Trial Date Is Rejected

Former Enron Corp. Chairman Kenneth L. Lay must wait until the end of September for a judge to decide whether to try him separately from other ex-executives of the company.

Lay had asked U.S. District Judge Sim Lake in Houston to sever his fraud trial from that of former Enron Chief Executive Jeffrey K. Skilling and ex-Chief Accounting Officer Richard A. Causey.

Lay had requested that the trial begin by Sept. 14.

In a hearing in Houston federal court, Lake rejected the request, saying he wouldn’t rule on the motion until the end of September or October at the earliest, giving prosecutors more time to prepare for trial.