Ex-Enron Corp. CEO Jeffrey Skilling will remain in the warmer climes of Houston — at least for the time being. Skilling was to report to a minimum security Minnesota prison on Tuesday to begin serving his 24-year sentence, but the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is considering his request to remain free while he appeals his convictions on 19 criminal counts (see Daily GPI, Oct. 13).

Skilling, 53, was sentenced in October by U.S. District Judge Sim Lake (see Daily GPI, Oct. 24). Lake rejected Skilling’s request to remain free on bail pending the appeal, and Skilling challenged the order last month.

The circuit court’s order stated the delay was entered “solely to allow this court to give careful consideration to the request for bail pending appeal.”

The government is opposing the appeal, but Daniel Petrocelli, Skilling’s lawyer, said he was “heartened” by the circuit court’s action.

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