The convictions against former Enron CEO Ken Lay, who died earlier this summer, have been vacated by a federal judge in Houston.
Convicted of fraud and conspiracy after the collapse of the Houston-based energy giant, Lay died in July of heart disease while vacationing in Aspen, Colo. -- before he had a chance to appeal.
In his ruling, which declares Lay an innocent man, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake cited a decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In that case, a defendant's death before the appeals process has been exhausted is grounds for throwing out a conviction.
Lake's decision to clear Lay's name from convictions of fraud, conspiracy and lying attached to it means that the federal government will not seek $43 million it says Lay earned through fraud. But Lay's estate remains susceptible to claims made in civil court.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDAzMjM2NDYzMDEyMzc1Njk5NjAxNzY3OQ001))
