Ex-Enron bosses raise bias fears

Enron's two top ex-bosses are due to stand trial at the end of January

Two former Enron bosses have asked to have their upcoming fraud trials moved from Houston because they say potential jurors are biased against them.

Lawyers acting for Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling said a majority of prospective jurors questioned held negative views about the men.

One respondent described Mr Lay as "a snake in the grass", while another called Mr Skilling a "crook".

US energy giant Enron collapsed in December 2001 with massive debts.

'Hasty responses'

Mr Skilling's leading lawyer Daniel Petrocelli said more than 60% of potential jurors believed Enron was brought down as a result of "criminal" activities by senior management.

Enron's former top accountant has pleaded guilty to securities fraud

"These are not the hasty responses of random people who participated in a test survey," said Mr Petrocelli.

"These are actual responses from actual prospective jurors in this case who took time to carefully and thoughtfully write out their answers."

According to a defence filing based on questionnaires completed by potential jurors, Mr Skilling was also described as a man who "would lie to his own mother if it would further his cause", while Mr Lay was described as "the biggest lying crook of all".

Mr Skilling, Enron's former chief executive, faces 35 counts of fraud, conspiracy, insider trading and lying to auditors. Enron founder and former chairman Mr Lay faces seven counts of fraud and conspiracy.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are due to stand trial in Houston on 30 January.

Plea bargain

The defence team's request to shift the location of the trial is not its first.

Last year US District Judge Sim Lake rejected a request to move the trial venue to Denver, Phoenix or Atlanta following extensive coverage in the media of pre-trial hearings.

The trial date had been set for 17 January, but a plea bargain last month by former senior Enron accountant Richard Causey caused the trial to be delayed until the end of January.

Causey pleaded guilty to securities fraud in exchange for a possible seven-year jail sentence.

It is likely that he will testify against his former bosses.