Enron Case Private Conferences to Continue

HOUSTON -- A federal judge said Tuesday he will continue to hold private conferences in the criminal case of former Enron Corp. finance chief Andrew Fastow if he deems "shop talk" concerning potential trial dates and trial preparations "not relevant to the public's digestion," The Associated Press reported

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt said results of the discussions with prosecutors and defense attorneys involved in Fastow's case on July 28 and twice on Tuesday will be revealed within a month when he issues a ruling.

He said the conferences involve "pretrial matters concerning how we get our arms around a case of this significance" and the discussions need not be done in public "in a way that embarrasses or humiliates the government or the defense."

Hoyt's comments came in regard to a request from the Houston Chronicle to make public the transcripts of the hearings held in his chambers. The newspaper said Tuesday it had not decided whether it would appeal the decision. Bill Ogden, the newspaper's attorney, had argued that the Constitution prohibits such hearings from being held in private without some compelling interest.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 8/27/03