The Verdict and Counts of Conviction

Jeffrey Skilling was convicted of 19 counts, his sentence totaling 185 years, and Kenneth Lay was looking at 120 years in prison. Skilling was See more +

The Verdict and Counts of Conviction

Jeffrey Skilling was convicted of 19 counts, his sentence totaling 185 years, and Kenneth Lay was looking at 120 years in prison. Skilling was sentenced to 17 years, which was then reduced to 12. Kenneth Lay passed away before his sentencing, so the verdict was vacated.

The Prosecution and Defence

“The defense team was stunned,” said Loren, “I think that the attorneys, as well as the defendants, believed that they were going to get a not guilty verdict.” On the other hand, the prosecution felt a great sense of relief and accomplishment; this was an uphill battle from a prosecution standpoint in many ways. Jeffrey Skilling appeared stoic; though stories indicated he disagreed with the verdict, he seemed to have accepted his fate.

The Jurors and The Judge

Loren commends the jurors, believing they deserve a lot of credit for their involvement in the trial. “I think they did a really good job of listening to the arguments and considering them,” he said. What was interesting to him was their response to Andrew Fastow’s testimony, one that Loren found to be credible, “It was like that didn’t factor into their decision nearly as much as we thought it would when we were watching all of it unfold.” According to him, the judge certainly understood the magnitude of the case and tried to be very careful in his administration of the case to avoid mistakes that could have led to a mistrial, “Everyone understood that this was a big trial, and they were playing on the big stage.” See less -