Texas Pastor Testifies; Enron Founder Says God 'Has a Plan'

Testimony ended Monday in the federal fraud and conspiracy trial of Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay and former Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling, with the final defense witness being a prominent Southern Baptist Convention minister, Ed Young, who testified that Lay is a trustworthy man.

"I believe he loves God, I believe he works hard and I believe he's a man who keeps his word," a smiling Young said, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The Houston megachurch pastor’s testimony as a character witness for Lay contrasted sharply with that of Mike Muckleroy, who minutes later took the stand as a rebuttal witness for the government.

"Under business exigencies, I have known Mr. Lay to not tell the truth," said Muckleroy, a former Enron executive.

Muckleroy was one of three rebuttal witnesses prosecutors called before the defense closed its case Monday. The witnesses reinforced accusations that Lay and Skilling committed crimes at the company before it crashed in December 2001.

"He lied to myself and to stockholders and directors and the employees that were at a meeting of the company about an event that cost the company $144 million," said Muckleroy, according to The Associated Press.

Prosecutors had said it would then take two days for them to question some ten rebuttal witnesses but instead called only three on Monday. Defense attorneys rested after they called Young, their 29th and final witness Monday morning, cutting short by two the number of experts they expected to call.

Skilling's lawyer said that despite the defense decision to drop some witnesses, "the jury has heard enough to make a decision."

Prosecutors refused to comment outside the court, as is customary in high-profile cases.

The defendants and their lawyers, on the other hand, exuded confidence as they left the courthouse.

"God has blessed me and my family enormously. He's been in that courtroom every day. He has a plan and a purpose in this and I have complete confidence it's going to come out fine," said Lay, according to AP.

"It's been a long time coming, but I feel good," said Skilling as he left the courthouse for the day, adding that the trial has been both "tiring" and "stressful."

"We feel real good about where we are right now," Lay added, predicting he would prevail.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake – after 53 days of trial, 51 witnesses and nearly four weeks of testimony – gave jurors the rest of the week off, with twelve hours of closing arguments scheduled to start May 15. The judge cautioned them not to discuss the case or read media reports about it.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys will spend the week preparing for next Monday’s closing arguments. Jurors are expected to begin deliberations two days after, on May 17.