Prosecutors ask that charges be dropped against ex-Merrill exec in Enron case

Prosecutors ask to drop charges in Enron case

HOUSTON — Federal prosecutors have asked that charges against a third defendant in a long-running and problematic Enron-related case marred by overturned convictions and flawed legal theory be dropped.

This week’s motion to a federal judge in Houston requesting that the three most serious charges against James A. Brown be dismissed comes just days before the former Merrill Lynch executive’s retrial on these counts was to begin.

U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. on Thursday had not issued a ruling on the motion, which had been filed a day earlier. But Brown’s attorney, who was pleased by the prosecutors’ decision, expected the judge to grant the request.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment Thursday on the decision to drop the charges against Brown.