Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling has been ordered by a federal appellate judge to start his prison sentence immediately, according to the Associated Press. Skilling’s request to remain free during his appeal was turned down on Tuesday by Judge Patrick Higginbotham of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The ruling came one day after Skilling’s attorney requested that the former executive remain free until bail for his appeal was set. Reportedly, Skilling’s attorney is planning an appeal, based mainly on the idea that Skilling did not receive a fair trial in Houston, because of the negative publicity surrounding the city that was home to Enron.
Skilling will begin his 24-year sentence on Wednesday in a federal prison in Waseca, Minn. According to the wire service, the appeals court said in a docket entry on the court’s Web site that the delay was “solely to allow this court to give careful consideration to the request for bail pending appeal.”
Reportedly, Skilling can cut his sentence by a year if he successfully completes alcohol and mental health counseling at Waseca. He is also eligible to earn 54 days a year off his sentence for good behavior, according to the AP.