A rush to (weird) justice

[spindrifter]

This has got to be a weird situation--co-defendants' defense attorneys are talking up the innocence of a third co-defendant:

Federal prosecutors are engaged in plea negotiations with former Enron Corp. official Richard A. Causey, working toward a deal that could provide crucial momentum for the government heading into the signature trial of the corporate scandal era.

snip...

"Rick Causey is one of three innocent men about to go to trial, and I'm sure the task force would like nothing better than to pressure him out of the trial," Daniel M. Petrocelli, a defense lawyer for Skilling, said yesterday.

"I've talked to Rick Causey, and he does not have the willful, knowing, intentional state of mind it takes to commit a crime," said Michael Ramsey, a lawyer for Lay. "If I ever met a guy with a pure heart, it's Rick Causey."

snip...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/23/AR2005122301578.html

So where do the Lay and Skilling attorneys' ethical obligations lie--not lay. Even if it is in their clients' best interest to be making testimonials on behalf of the third guy, aren't they now becoming so-called character witnesses for him, or at the least, putting their own credibility (I know, folks, they as attys., have none) on the line?

[teryang]

1. this tactic of riding coatails is an attempt to increase costs of...

...litigation for the government. The larger the number of co-defendants going the limit, the more screwed up and difficult managing the litigation becomes.

[spindrifter]

2. But they are actually trying to plead

this guy out, leaving only Skilling and Lay. Govt. would use him to "explain" the Enron acctg. system.

[teryang]

3. Right, the issue is will he flip on the others

<A deal with Causey also would help prosecutors present a simpler case to the jury. With his testimony, they could focus less on arcane deals with names such as Raptors and Chewco and more on what they say are repeated lies and misstatements about Enron's health by Skilling and Lay.>

[spindrifter]

4. I think he will definitely testify, because he is

not wanting to spend maxi-time.