????2009年1月，第五巡回法庭維持對斯基林的判決，但否決了因危害“金融機構”而加刑，將評分下調至36級，量刑年限188-235個月，也就是最短15年零8個月。該上訴法院要求發回重審。

????但重審由于斯基林提起的其他上訴而被無限期延遲，其中包括兩次美國最高法院審議（拒絕推翻判決）和上訴法庭的另一輪審議。在斯基林推翻判決的前景變得渺茫后，控訴雙方開始認真談判。

????上周公布的協議將其審判評分再降1級，量刑年限為168-210個月。如果判刑年限處于下限，刑期將可再次縮減1年零8個月，至14年。重審定于6月21日在休斯頓進行。

????“對于此不應有誤會，”希爾德表示，“這不是美國政府拋棄了一項重要的審判。美國政府不只是決定減刑10年。協議只是將斯基林的刑期縮短了幾年?！?/p>

????但希爾德指出，現在斯基林可以“看到曙光了。他知道，有一天他將能走出監獄?！保ㄘ敻恢形木W）

????助理記者：Doris Burke

????In a January 2009 decision, the Fifth Circuit upheld Skilling's conviction, but threw out the "financial institution" enhancement, cutting his number back down to 36, with a range of 188 to 235 months -- or as little as 15 years and eight months. The appeals court ordered that he be resentenced.

????But that resentencing was postponed indefinitely pending more Skilling appeals, which included two trips to the Supreme Court (which declined to overturn his conviction), and another round before the court of appeals. Negotiations began in earnest after Skilling's prospects for overturning his conviction grew dim.

????The agreement announced last week trims his sentencing number just one more level, to a range of 168 to 210 months. If sentenced again at the bottom of the range, this would produce a further reduction of one year and eight months, to 14 years. The resentencing is scheduled for June 21 in Houston.

????"Let there be no mistake about this," says Hilder. "It's not as though the government gave away a significant sentence. The government didn't just decide to throw out 10 years. The negotiations only shaved a couple of years off Skilling's sentence."

????But Skilling, Hilder notes, can now "see light at the end of the tunnel. He will know that there is a day he'll be able to walk out of there."

????Reporting by Doris Burke