The bizarre tale of former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling‘s hospitalization in New York a couple of weeks ago took another twist as the Enron Task Force filed pleadings in the pending criminal case against Skilling today contending that Skilling’s conduct violated terms of his pre-trial release arrangement.
As expected, Skilling was stone drunk when he was hospitalized (he had a blood alcohol level of .19, which is very drunk). In its pleading filed today, the Task Force does not specify any proposed modification to the terms of Skillings’ pre-trial release, probably because they are still scratching their heads over the incident themselves.
On a serious note, Skilling is facing a criminal trial in an extremely unfavorable venue that, if he loses, probably will result in what amounts to a life sentence in federal prison. Such pressure must be generating incredible stress on Skilling, in addition to the stress he is enduring from his decimated business career. People will do unusual things under rxtraordinary stress. My sense is that Judge Lake will understand that will move the case past this incident without much comment.