Ebbers seeks clemency as Bush exits

President Bush is about to leave office, which means its prime time for big-time criminals seeking pardons or clemency from their punishments for their dirty deeds. One of the hopefuls is Bernie Ebbers, the former chief of WorldCom who was convicted more than three years ago of conspiracy and fraud. For a little over two years, he has been in the low-security section of a federal prison in Oakdale, La.

Ebbers was 65 in 2006 when he began serving his 25-year sentence. He tried to appeal his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, but was denied. He filed his request for clemency with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Do you think Ebbers should be freed? Another infamous executive from the same period, Joe Nacchio, is still on the loose. The cases are entirely different, of course, but appellate judges who heard arguments in a review of Nacchio's case more than two months ago appear to be in no hurry to render a decision, while Ebbers was practically rushed toward the Big House in a frenetic, post-Enron search to re-establish some sense of corporate ethics. Did it work?

For more:
- Network World has this story

Related articles
Joe Nacchio's case was reviewed back in September
Bernie Ebbers went to prison in September 2006