Jeffrey K. Skilling, Petitioner v. United States

Summary

The Court held that pre‑trial publicity and community prejudice in Houston did not create a presumption of juror bias and that the district court’s venue‑transfer denial and jury‑selection procedures satisfied the Sixth Amendment, so Skilling received a fair trial. It also held that 18 U.S.C. §1346 criminalizes only bribery and kickback schemes, meaning Skilling’s honest‑services‑fraud conviction was invalid. The judgment was affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded. Justice Sotomayor, joined by Stevens and Breyer, concurred in part and dissented in part, arguing the jury was not impartial; Justices Scalia and Alito filed separate concurrences.