Posted on 04/09/2004 3:15:05 PM PDT by SolidSupplySide
NEW YORK -- Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling was taken to a hospital early today after several people called police saying he was pulling on their clothes and accusing them of being FBI agents, a police source told The Associated Press.
Police found Skilling at 4 a.m. at the corner of Park Avenue and East 73rd Street and determined he might be an "emotionally disturbed person," said the source, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Bruce Hiler, Skilling's lawyer, said Skilling and his wife were attacked by some people in New York, and his wife suffered a concussion.
Hiler issued this statement:
"The AP story is grossly inaccurate. Mr. Skilling asked several passing cab drivers to call for the police after he and his wife were followed and harassed by two men, who questioned him about Enron and refused to answer when Mr. Skilling asked whether they were FBI agents.
"Mr.Skilling and his wife were pushed to the ground. He and his wife were taken to the hospital. His wife suffered a concussion and he suffered minor abrasions. Mr. Skilling was not at the two bars mentioned in the article.
"This is an outrageous example of how pre-trial prejudice generated by the government and others have put Mr. Skilling and his family in danger. The fact that a police source would spread this story is deeply troubling."
Police did not charge Skilling with a crime. They took him to New York Presbyterian Hospital for observation. Hospital officials would only say that Skilling had been discharged from the hospital today.
Skilling was at two bars in Manhattan -- American Trash and The Voodoo Lounge -- where he allegedly ran up to patrons and pulled open their clothes, the source said.
"He was shouting at them 'You're an FBI agent and you're following me,'" the source said.
Skilling allegedly did the same thing to people on the street, the source added. He was with his wife at the time.
Skilling was described as being intoxicated and highly uncooperative when he was approached by police, the source said.
The terms of Skilling's bond would allow him to travel to New York City, however his bond could be forfeited should he have been severely intoxicated.
Enron Task Force Director Andrew Weissmann reached this afternoon would not comment on the incident.
Skilling has been charged with fraud, insider trading and other crimes in the energy trader's colossal collapse.
Skilling is accused of participating in widespread schemes to mislead government regulators and investors about the company's earnings. He has pleaded innocent to all 35 federal counts against him, and posted his $5 million bond with a cashier's check.
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