Trial of Enron Ex-Executives Set for 2006

The fraud and conspiracy trial of Enron Corp. founder Kenneth L. Lay, former Chief Executive Jeffrey K. Skilling and former Chief Accounting Officer Richard A. Causey will begin Jan. 17, 2006, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake said Thursday.

Lay and Skilling agreed to support Causey’s choice of a Dec. 1 trial to accommodate the preparation needs of all the legal teams. Lay had been pushing for a speedy trial since he was indicted in July. Skilling and Causey had originally asked for a March 2006 trial, but Skilling’s legal team said they could be ready for trial this fall.

“Obviously we’d have liked to have the trial sooner. We’d like to have been done with a trial by now,” Lay said. “But we’re realistic. We want everybody to have the best defense they can and have the right outcome here.”

Skilling and Causey each face more than 30 counts of fraud, conspiracy, insider trading and other charges. They are accused of being in on or knowing about various schemes to manufacture profit and hide debt in the years leading to Enron’s crash in 2001.

Lay is charged with seven counts of fraud and conspiracy.

All three defendants have pleaded not guilty.