Nacchio seeks venue change for civil trial

 

Denver Post

Business – Brief

July 23, 2010

Former Qwest chief executive Joe Nacchio is asking if a trial on a civil complaint filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission can be held in Kansas instead of Denver.

The SEC complaint alleges Nacchio and other former Qwest executives misled investors. Nacchio's lawyers said in documents filed in federal court Thursday that he can't get a fair trial in Qwest's hometown, where he was convicted of criminal insider-trading charges.

The SEC notes that in June, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a claim by former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling that he didn't get a fair trial in Enron's hometown of Houston on criminal charges.

Nacchio's lawyers responded that unlike Skilling's case, media coverage of Nacchio has increased over time.