WASHINGTON — Jeffrey Skilling’s challenge to his 2006 fraud conviction received a mixed reception Monday at the Supreme Court, with the justices voicing differing views on whether the former Enron chief executive received a fair trial in Houston, the epicenter of Enron’s 2001 collapse.
During an hour of oral arguments, some justices voiced concern that the five-hour jury-selection process in Skilling’s trial was far too short for a complicated case in which juror bias was a concern.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned whether there was another case comparable to Skilling’s in which the jury-selection process was so short.
“How can we be satisfied that there was an impartial jury picked?” she asked.
“I’m worried about a fair trial in this instance,” said Justice Stephen Breyer.
Skilling was sentenced to 24 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $45 million.
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Samuel Alito expressed doubts that Skilling’s case needed to be moved out of Houston to ensure a fair trial. Dow Jones Newswires
