Sam Buell
Sam Buell
case last resolved
The deepest, most complex, most system-related case would be the last one to be resolved in all of this.
accounting book cases enron financial hard occur questions raises
WorldCom could occur in any era, it's more traditional book cooking. It's hard to think of another one of these cases really is like Enron in the sense that it raises fundamental questions of accounting and financial reporting.
bad either hurt ignored lay looks
It can only hurt the defendant. Even if it's something that's not done with bad intent, it looks bad. Lay either didn't get that advice, or he got it and he ignored it.
limited persuasive version witnesses
A watered-down version of what the government's most persuasive witnesses have already said can only dilute the case, even if limited to rebuttal.
advice defense depends disclosure full relevant reliance
The reliance on professional advice defense depends on a full disclosure of the relevant facts.
confronted detailed face facts lots questions time
They're going to be confronted for the first time with lots of detailed questions that they didn't face before because the questioners didn't know all the facts yet.
bombshell criminal expected immediate instant payoff people period trial trials
There's been such a long period of buildup and anticipation for this trial that people expected some kind of immediate payoff in instant bombshell revelations, and that's just not the way criminal trials work.
accomplish case conspiracy easier extremely people prove subtle trying
It's easier to prove if they were extremely flagrant or brazen about what they were saying. But typically that's not the case in a conspiracy where people are trying to accomplish something in more subtle ways.
advice asked facts factual question whether within
It's not just a question of whether all the facts to one transaction were disclosed, but also whether a professional is being asked to give the advice within the right factual context.
bombshell coming dramatic exposed guys happen leave lots small stand task witness
It's going to be the task of the cross-examiner of cumulatively undermining credibility with lots of small points, not coming up with some big bombshell that's going to leave one of these guys exposed on the witness stand in some dramatic way. It's just not going to happen that way.
case dangers looking putting textbook
This is looking like a textbook case of the dangers of putting defendants on the stand.