Fastow to be sentenced today

Former Enron CFO Andy Fastow is scheduled to be sentenced this morning, and he might have some unwanted company at his hearing: U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt has invited former Enron employees to attend and talk about how Enron's collapse affected their lives. Wonder if he'll learn any new words?

Former Enroners have the chance to talk under a federal law dealing with the rights of victims of federal crimes. People can sign up to speak before the 11 a.m. hearing, but it's not clear how many will: Ron Jordan, chairman of the Severed Enron Employee Coalition, told the AP that "Some people need [closure], but there are not too many, evidently."

As for Fastow, he agreed to a 10-year term when he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy in 2004, and his cooperation with the government helped prosecutors in their case against former Enron Chairman Ken Lay and CEO Jeff Skilling, both of whom were convicted for their roles in the Enron collapse. Though Hoyt can't increase Fastow's sentence, he could lessen it a bit, which Fastow's lawyers hope he will: "Prison is expected, but 10 years is not 'necessary' for the message of deterrence to be heard," attorneys David Gerger and John Keker said in a court filing last week.