Originally Posted By BlueDevilSF <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/05/news/newsmakers/lay_death/index.htm?cnn=yes" target="_blank">http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/0 5/news/newsmakers/lay_death/index.htm?cnn=yes</a>
Originally Posted By idleHands One of the richest men in the country who can certainly afford the best medical care available, dies of a heart attack? And a few months before his October sentencing that would have put him in Club Fed for 25 to 40 years? How convenient. Until his body is put on display like Eva Peron, I ain't buying it. Perfect cover to flee the country and live out his days on a secluded island.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I think the community of Houston won't be dancing in the streets for him...but I doubt they will miss him much either.
Originally Posted By gadzuux I'm just a bit suspicious too. Maybe it's becuase I've read too many mystery stories in my time, but wealth can buy you a lot of favors, and there's no question but that this guy is corrupt to his core. If there was a way for him to weasel his way out of his jail time, he'd take it in a heartbeat. Or lack of one.
Originally Posted By mele I usually try to believe that people pay for their deeds in the afterlife, especially if they don't pay for them while they are alive. But for some reason, I'm really, really ticked off that he's dead. I wanted him to pay for what he did in *this* life.
Originally Posted By JohnS1 I heard they're going to cryogenically preserve him so they can bring him back after they find a cure for... oh wait, that's Walt Disney I was thinking of.
Originally Posted By barboy How did this cat end up in Aspen? Someone explain the logic here: if he is 64 and according to idleHands the guidelines for sentencing are at least 25 years that would effectively be a life term. Very few live past 89. He should have been deemed a flight risk and kept in jail.
Originally Posted By idleHands Welcome to Texas politics, barboy. Cliff Baxter's murder is still being ruled as a suicide, in spite of contradictory evidence suggesting otherwise, not to mention lack of supporting evidence from the coroner's office in favor of suicide. Baxter was going to blow the whistle about Enron in front of Congress, and had openly admitted to friends that he felt like a bodyguard would be a good idea. And none of his close friends believed that this was a suicide. But given that this is Texas, and now with Kenny Boy's death or underground railroad ticket outta the country, the truth will probably never fully be realized.
Originally Posted By fkurucz I think that it would be very hard for him to just dissapear. He would have to become a hermit/recluse, which isn't all that different from being in jail. Anyway, King George could have pulled a Clinton and pardoned him during his last day in office.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Even I think the idea of faking his death might be a little "out there", but if Bush does pardon him, and pardons have been given to dead people, then I would get a bit more interested in the odea.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<One of the richest men in the country who can certainly afford the best medical care available, dies of a heart attack?>> Yes. A certain percentage of heart attacks cannot be survived no matter how quickly good medical care is received. If it is a "massive" one as described, you could be laying in a hospital coronary care unit and still not have a chance. <<It is possible that the stress of the upcoming sentencing did him in.>> I agree. Lay in effect received a death sentence for his crimes. <<I think the community of Houston won't be dancing in the streets for him...but I doubt they will miss him much either.>> There is no joy in this. No matter how big a creep he was, he was a husband and a father and I'm sure there are many family members and friends that will mourn his passing.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Well, the good news for him is he doesn't have to think about the mess he left behind anymore. Unfortunately, for thousands of former Enron employees, they don't get the luxury of not thinking about it anymore. Greed is an ugly, ugly thing.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Not to mention the fact that apparently his family can choose to mourn at either the Aspen home of perhaps the multimillion dollar home back in Texas. Life is so tough sometimes.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Someone has to change the law that allowed him to finish construction on that house and then keep it. That just ain't right.
Originally Posted By fkurucz Oh, I'm sure he was petrified at the prospect of spending the rest of his life in the slammer. Only "losers" go to jail. Remember that power is what makes these sort of people tick. In jail you have no power. You don't even get to pick what you wear, what or when you eat, etc. I wouldn't be suprised if he took his life.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>No matter how big a creep he was, he was a husband and a father and I'm sure there are many family members and friends that will mourn his passing.<< I hope they will also, at some point, spend some time getting the fact that Lay ruined thousands of lives. Not that it's necessarily their burden to bear, but maybe next time they're up at Aspen, they could think of that while riding the lift or something.
Originally Posted By Lake Nona According to a paper in Grand Junction, CO, the Lay autopsy shows severe coronary artery disease... Update, 4:05 p.m.: Lay autopsy shows severe coronary artery disease Wednesday, July 05, 2006 By GARY HARMON The Daily Sentinel Ken Lay died of severe coronary artery disease, according to an autopsy conducted today at Community Hospital. Mesa County Coroner Rob Kurtzman said the autopsy found evidence of prior heart attacks, which correlates with Lay’s history of heart trouble. Lay, the disgraced Enron chief, died today in Aspen. He was 64. Lay was awaiting sentencing after he was found guilty May 25, along with former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling, of defrauding investors and employees by repeatedly lying about Enron’s finances in the months before the company plummeted into bankruptcy protection in December 2001. Lay also was convicted in a separate trial of bank fraud and making false statements to banks, charges related to his personal finances. Gary Harmon can be reached via e-mail at gharmon@gjds.com.
