Blogging the Enron Trial
If you want to try out your Times password/ID, try this article: "Enough Enron? There's More". That's where most of this information comes from. Or you can just use what follows.
Now Jeni Schatzlein is going to be our reporter "in the courtroom". But she can't actually be in Houston, or in Baghdad. But we have other sources, too -- sources that were not available to Responsible Citizens only a few years ago. The Houston Chronicle will be a good source for the Ken Lay/ Enron Trial. As part of their coverage they will feature blogs from two different reporters. From the blog we can expect to see more personal observations, little tidtits that won't make the paper. Blogs by media folk tend to be less formal, and more behind-the-scenes.
One is called Enron Trial Watch. Here's a little sample:
February 02, 2006
Being in a four-month-long trial doesn't have to be all dour and grim.
Judge Sim Lake greeted his panel of 16 jurors and alternates by noting that though they were fed breakfast tacos this morning (it was muffins a few days ago), they should not get accustomed to "such luxuries."
The afternoon's entertainment (aside from the playing of the utterance of a profane word) was the judge's apology to Ken Lay's frequently objecting attorney Mike Ramsey. The judge said he'd incorrectly discounted Ramsey's objection that a magazine article was only partially read into the record.
"Mea Culpa to Mr. Ramsey," the judge began after an uncharacteristically long conference at the bench. This judicial graciousness not only drew laughs but actual clapping, actual in-court applause from the bench where the defendants' family sit.
Things were so civilized and pleasant in court that nobody was admonished, removed or otherwise found in contempt for what little joy they could eke out of the proceedings.
Now Jeni Schatzlein is going to be our reporter "in the courtroom". But she can't actually be in Houston, or in Baghdad. But we have other sources, too -- sources that were not available to Responsible Citizens only a few years ago. The Houston Chronicle will be a good source for the Ken Lay/ Enron Trial. As part of their coverage they will feature blogs from two different reporters. From the blog we can expect to see more personal observations, little tidtits that won't make the paper. Blogs by media folk tend to be less formal, and more behind-the-scenes.
One is called Enron Trial Watch. Here's a little sample:
February 02, 2006
Federal court lite
Being in a four-month-long trial doesn't have to be all dour and grim.
Judge Sim Lake greeted his panel of 16 jurors and alternates by noting that though they were fed breakfast tacos this morning (it was muffins a few days ago), they should not get accustomed to "such luxuries."
The afternoon's entertainment (aside from the playing of the utterance of a profane word) was the judge's apology to Ken Lay's frequently objecting attorney Mike Ramsey. The judge said he'd incorrectly discounted Ramsey's objection that a magazine article was only partially read into the record.
"Mea Culpa to Mr. Ramsey," the judge began after an uncharacteristically long conference at the bench. This judicial graciousness not only drew laughs but actual clapping, actual in-court applause from the bench where the defendants' family sit.
Things were so civilized and pleasant in court that nobody was admonished, removed or otherwise found in contempt for what little joy they could eke out of the proceedings.
Posted by Mary Flood at 05:16 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
In the courtroom, there was laughter when Skilling's profane name-calling tape was played.
Skilling himself smiled. Lay, to Skilling's right, laughed out loud. Lawyer Daniel Petrocelli, to Skilling's left, also smiled.
They may have been so happy because rather than scowling, many in the jury box laughed too when they heard Skilling's rude retort to the short seller who questioned why he could not get more financial answers from Enron.
The jury soon sobered, however, and a handful of jurors could be seen glimpsing over Skilling's way moments after the tape was played and the joviality had died down.
Posted by Mary Flood at 02:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Profanity plays
In the courtroom, there was laughter when Skilling's profane name-calling tape was played.
Skilling himself smiled. Lay, to Skilling's right, laughed out loud. Lawyer Daniel Petrocelli, to Skilling's left, also smiled.
They may have been so happy because rather than scowling, many in the jury box laughed too when they heard Skilling's rude retort to the short seller who questioned why he could not get more financial answers from Enron.
The jury soon sobered, however, and a handful of jurors could be seen glimpsing over Skilling's way moments after the tape was played and the joviality had died down.
Posted by Mary Flood at 02:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Another is called "Full Disclosure" by "cantankerous business columnist" Loren Steffly. Here's Steffly:
There's nothing like a little profanity to perk up a sleepy press room. Just after former Enron investor relations head Mark Koenig got done defining a profit and loss statement for the jury, things got lively with the playing of what's become known as the "asshole" tape.
That's the conference call from April 17, 2001 in which hedge fund manager Richard Grubman asked Jeff Skilling for a balance sheet. Skilling had what Koenig described as a "unique reaction."
Skilling said Enron didn't have a balance sheet for its trading business prepared to distribute to investors.
Grubman pressed on. "I trying to understand why that's an unreasonable request." Grubman noted that Enron traded millions of dollars daily, it had a matched book, and therefore its accounting controls should have dictated daily reports.
Skilling said the company had the information, but it wasn't prepared to release it.
"You are the only financial institution that won't produce a a balance sheet or a cash flow statement with your earnings," Grubman said, then muttered a thank you and got off the call.
To which Skilling replied "Thank you....asshole."
Sounds like 'manhole'
There's nothing like a little profanity to perk up a sleepy press room. Just after former Enron investor relations head Mark Koenig got done defining a profit and loss statement for the jury, things got lively with the playing of what's become known as the "asshole" tape.
That's the conference call from April 17, 2001 in which hedge fund manager Richard Grubman asked Jeff Skilling for a balance sheet. Skilling had what Koenig described as a "unique reaction."
Skilling said Enron didn't have a balance sheet for its trading business prepared to distribute to investors.
Grubman pressed on. "I trying to understand why that's an unreasonable request." Grubman noted that Enron traded millions of dollars daily, it had a matched book, and therefore its accounting controls should have dictated daily reports.
Skilling said the company had the information, but it wasn't prepared to release it.
"You are the only financial institution that won't produce a a balance sheet or a cash flow statement with your earnings," Grubman said, then muttered a thank you and got off the call.
To which Skilling replied "Thank you....asshole."
Posted by Loren at 02:08 PM in Lay-Skilling trial | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
You won't find that in your daily paper (at least not anytime soon).
posted by Mr. Mac | 10:23 AM
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