Potent commentary on Olis case

Today’s Houston Chronicle has this potent commentary about the Jamie Olis case in the wake of the Fifith Circuit’s reversal earlier this week of his 24-year federal sentence (prior coverage here and here).  Here are some snippets:

We can all take comfort in Jamie Olis’ reprieve.  It doesn’t make us soft on white-collar crime. It makes us tough on fairness.  The Olis case has been an example of justice gone awry, of collective anger that seemed to well up and envelop one individual who played a small role in the den of deception that was Houston energy trading in the Enron era.  It was as if Olis were ordered to pay for many sins that were not his own….

A jury found Olis guilty, and for that he should pay a price.  He has. Olis, who was ordered to report to prison in May 2004, has already served 18 months.  Lake hasn’t scheduled a hearing on a new sentence, and by the time the process is done, Olis will be closing in on two years. Lake should consider time served and set Olis free.