[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit [official website] late Monday postponed the date former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling [Houston Chronicle profile] must report to prison so that the court can consider Skilling's request that he be released on bail while his appeal is considered. Skilling was due to report to the Federal Correctional Institute [BOP backgrounder] in Minnesota Tuesday afternoon, but the appeals court postponed the date in order to permit the court "to give careful consideration to the request for bail pending appeal."

In October, US District Judge Sim Lake sentenced [JURIST report] Skilling to 24 years in prison. Skilling was convicted [JURIST report; verdict backgrounder] in May on 19 counts of conspiracy, insider trading, and securities fraud for providing investors with false and misleading financial information from 1999 up until Enron filed bankruptcy in late 2001. Lake denied Skilling's request to remain free while his conviction is appealed, and the Fifth Circuit is currently considering the appeal of that decision. USA Today has more. The Houston Chronicle has local coverage.

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