Stewart sentenced to 5 months prison - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Stompy · 07-16-2004, 06:38 AM

That's it?!

It's sickening how celebrities get treated in this country.

If it was anyone else, it would be much much longer..

[edit]
On top of that, it's gonna be a nice comfy cell away from the other inmates, and she will have all kinds of luxuries that others wouldn't get.

Cowman · 07-16-2004, 06:42 AM

What do you mean, that's it? That's huge considering the amount of money she *saved*..

mikec · 07-16-2004, 06:44 AM

the link:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...martha_stewart

maleficent · 07-16-2004, 06:48 AM

What good does it do to send her to prison?

Punishment? Sure... fine...

Having her do community service would better serve as punishment. She's a smart business woman, have her teach others what she knows.

I have a friend who works for her company -- and they're more than a tad nervous about whather going to jail is going to do their jobs... It's more than just her involved.

mikec · 07-16-2004, 06:52 AM

the funniest part to me....and the irony of it all...is that she sold the stock when it hit $60 per share..

yeah, the stock is currently trading at $80/share

not a very shrewd business decision on her part indeed heheheh.

Stompy · 07-16-2004, 06:53 AM

Very true. Prison isn't a fitting punishment for this, but still, it's what's handed out to those who follow through with insider trading.

I'm just pointing out that she's getting a slap on the wrist compared to what you or I would get!

Rubyee · 07-16-2004, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stompy
I'm just pointing out that she's getting a slap on the wrist compared to what you or I would get!

It is an incredibly short sentence. You would go to jail longer for copying a VHS or DVD illegally, or stealing cable. But no, if Martha Stewart does it, it is too cute and precious to punish for a long time.

maleficent · 07-16-2004, 07:43 AM

Apples and oranges.

Copying a VHS or a DVD is STEALING

She didn't steal.

She lied, while ethically, it's wrong, people lie everyday. Had she not been Martha Stewart, I seriously doubt anyone would have even paid attention

Cynthetiq · 07-16-2004, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by maleficent
Apples and oranges.

Copying a VHS or a DVD is STEALING

She didn't steal.

She lied, while ethically, it's wrong, people lie everyday. Had she not been Martha Stewart, I seriously doubt anyone would have even paid attention

that's right. people are confusing the crime she's serving time for.. it's not about the insider trading... it's about LYING.

ARTelevision · 07-16-2004, 07:47 AM

I don't think we can sanction lying to the FBI.

Underneath it all is the position (not dissimilar to the actual reason Bill Clinton was impeached) that lying to a branch of law enforcement is a very serious matter.

Stompy · 07-16-2004, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cynthetiq
that's right. people are confusing the crime she's serving time for.. it's not about the insider trading... it's about LYING.

ahhhhhhhh, I didn't know that!

Although, it begs the age old question: how is she guilty of lying about something which she wasn't guilty of? (or I should say, "found not guilty of")

Kinda contradictory, doncha think?

It's like how OJ was found NOT GUILTY of the murders, yet their families could sue him for $$.

Cynthetiq · 07-16-2004, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stompy
ahhhhhhhh, I didn't know that!

Although, it begs the age old question: how is she guilty of lying about something which she wasn't guilty of? (or I should say, "found not guilty of")

Kinda contradictory, doncha think?

It's like how OJ was found NOT GUILTY of the murders, yet their families could sue him for $$.

OJ was found NOT GUILTY by criminal courts... but civil court is a different matter.

the DA dropped the insider trading charges against Mrs. Stewart because they felt they did not have a strong enough case for a conviction. Even the smallest reasonable doubt is enough to dissuade any DA.

Cowman · 07-16-2004, 08:55 AM

As well, OJ was found guilty in Civil Court after new evidence was found after the initial trial was over.

Quadraton · 07-16-2004, 09:21 AM

What a crock of shit, and a waste of time.

This was supposed to be the American government showing they were serious about cracking down hard on blue collared crime. Instead, they can't even dig up enough evidence to prosecute her on the more serious charge of insider trading, so they double-back, and get her with lying. [edit:] That would be sort of like their consolation prize for not qualifying for a medal.

Martha Stewart walks away with a slap on the wrist for lying about something where she did nothing wrong, and her business is crumbling at the foundations. That'll be great when it finally caves in, and all those people end up in the unemployment line. Then the government can say they did it for the little guy.

Maybe they can still redeme themselves with Kenny boy.

brianna · 07-16-2004, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Quadraton
What a crock of shit, and a waste of time.

This was supposed to be the American government showing they were serious about cracking down hard on blue collared crime. Instead, they can't even dig up enough evidence to prosecute her on the more serious charge of insider trading, so they double-back, and get her with lying.

Martha Stewart walks away with a slap on the wrist for lying about something where she did nothing wrong, and her business is crumbling at the foundations. That'll be great when it finally caves in, and all those people end up in the unemployment line. Then the government can say they did it for the little guy.

Maybe they can still redeme themselves with Kenny boy.

completely agree. martha stewart was targeted because people love to hate her. (the reason they love to hate her are debateable but i vote for people's fear of a powerful woman.) the governments case was weak and very few americans even understand what the issue was. this trial was a publicity stunt, nothing more.

wonderwench · 07-16-2004, 10:04 AM

Let's look at the nature of Martha's lies:

Link

Quote:

Key developments in the ImClone case

Oct. 31, 2001 -- ImClone Systems submits application for approval of its cancer drug Erbitux to the Food and Drug Administration.

Dec. 27 -- Martha Stewart sells 3,928 shares of ImClone for $58 a share. Family members of Samuel Waksal, chief executive of the biotech company and a close friend of Ms. Stewart, sell more than $9 million in ImClone stock. Dr. Waksal also tries selling nearly $5 million worth of shares, but two brokerage firms refuse to execute the order.

Dec. 28 -- The FDA announces its refusal to review ImClone's Erbitux application. The company's stock plunges 16% on Dec. 31, the first day of trading after the news.

Jan. 7, 2002 -- Ms. Stewart's broker at Merrill Lynch Co., Peter Bacanovic, meets with an SEC investigator and says he personally spoke with Ms. Stewart on Dec. 27, 2001, the day she sold her shares. He also says he and Ms. Stewart had spoken on Dec. 20, agreeing to sell ImClone if it fell below $60 a share.

Jan. 31 -- Ms. Stewart's assistant, Ann Armstrong, finds her boss altering and then restoring the record of Mr. Bacanovic's Dec. 27 phone message about ImClone.

Feb. 4 -- Ms. Stewart tells FBI agents she couldn't recall if her office would have a record of a phone message from Mr. Bacanovic on Dec. 27.

Feb. 13 -- Mr. Bacanovic meets with federal agents and lies about the exchange on Dec. 27, saying he spoke with Ms. Armstrong, not Ms. Stewart, that day.

April 10 -- In a phone interview, Ms. Stewart tells FBI agents she didn't recall her assistant reading her the message or getting a message from Mr. Bacanovic on Dec. 27.

June 12 -- FBI agents arrest Dr. Waksal on securities-fraud charges. He is accused of trying to sell ImClone stock and tipping off family members after learning a day in advance that regulators would reject the cancer drug. Ms. Stewart declares her innocence amid suggestions she may have been tipped off. She admits calling Dr. Waksal the day of her trade but says she didn't reach him. She says the stock sale was triggered by a prior agreement with Mr. Bacanovic.

June 22 -- Merrill places Mr. Bacanovic and a sales assistant, Douglas Faneuil, on leave after receiving "conflicting accounts" from the two over whether they had established an agreement with Ms. Stewart to sell her shares.

June 26 -- Federal prosecutors widen their probe to include possible obstruction of justice and making false statements.

Aug. 7 -- Dr. Waksal is indicted on charges of securities fraud for trying to sell shares and for tipping off others to sell their stock before the Erbitux news broke. Dr. Waksal later pleads not guilty.

Aug. 21 -- A Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia shareholder sues Ms. Stewart and other company officers, alleging they sold company stock before the shares fell sharply on news of the federal probe into insider trading.

Sept. 10 -- Congressional investigators ask the Justice Department to look into the stock sale.

October 15 -- Dr. Waksal pleads guilty to tipping off family members, lying to investigators and asking his daughter to lie to the SEC.

March 11, 2003 -- Dr. Waksal agrees, without admitting or denying wrongdoing, to pay $800,000 to settle part of a civil lawsuit by the SEC and admits illegally avoiding taxes on $15 million of art work.

June 4 -- Ms. Stewart and Mr. Bacanovic are indicted and plead not guilty. Ms. Stewart resigns as head of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

June 10 -- Dr. Waksal is sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for insider-trading, obstructing justice and dodging taxes. He also is ordered to pay a $3 million fine and $1.2 million in taxes.

Jan. 27, 2004 -- After a week of jury selection, opening statements begin in the trial of Ms. Stewart and Mr. Bacanovic.

Feb. 27 -- Judge Cedarbaum dismisses the most serious of the charges against Ms. Stewart, the accusation of securities fraud.

March 3 -- Jury begins deliberations.

March 5 -- Ms. Stewart is convicted on two counts of making false statements, one of conspiracy and one of obstruction of justice. Mr. Bacanovic is convicted of one count each of making false statements, conspiracy, perjury and obstruction of justice, but found not guilty on one count of making and using false documents.

July 16 -- Ms. Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison and five months of home confinement, and fined $30,000, closing another chapter in the legal battle that has its roots in a stock trade made two and a half years ago.

Marth did lie. Consider, however, the impact of how she has been treated. The Fed's were investigating management fraud in ImClone that cost shareholders hundreds of millions of dollars. With the way Martha was handled by the FBI, additional losses of hundreds of millions of dollars were incurred by MSO shareholders. Yes, lying to the government is wrong. But in their zeal to make Martha into an example, the Feds caused more harm than that done by her original lie. If she were not such a high profile individual, she would have received a fine at most.

animosity · 07-16-2004, 10:12 AM

well I really dont think its that big of a deal... I dont think that she deserves jail time for it. I am not that well informed on what she actually did, but I doubt it really hurt anyone, she doesnt seem like the malicious type. It seems to me like they are just trying to make an example out of someone... anyone...

Stompy · 07-16-2004, 12:32 PM

Either way, whether she deserves jail or not, if it was you or I in that position, we'd be getting MUCH stiffer sentences.

Celebrities get off too easily.

Look at Scott Weiland and his heroin shit. If any of us even got busted with MARIJUANA, we'd be fucked... let alone goddamn cocaine and heroin!!

maleficent · 07-16-2004, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stompy
Either way, whether she deserves jail or not, if it was you or I in that position, we'd be getting MUCH stiffer sentences.

In this instance, and perhaps only in this instance, if she were not a celebrity, I seriously doubt she would have even been investigated.

wallace1 · 07-16-2004, 01:17 PM

"Having her do community service would better serve as punishment. She's a smart business woman, have her teach others what she knows."...maleficent
I agree, prison is not the way to go here. SOCIETY would be much better served if Martha was ordered to teach others her skills, she is very intelligent and very talented. I believe that they have made Martha a tool for an overzealous prosecutor. I think that too many of us want to extract revenge on Martha for simply being wealthy. I mean c'mon IF you were in the same situation as her and you were able to save a couple of hundred grand wouldn't you? You only need to be honest with yourself, I know I would have done exactly what she did.

brianna · 07-16-2004, 01:28 PM

oh my goodness wonderwench and i AGREE -- my lesson of the day has been learned

.

TM875 · 07-16-2004, 02:55 PM

I believe that there should be no laws against insider tradeing. To me, it's just shrewd business.

Nonetheless, even with insider trading laws in the US, I don't believe that Martha did anything wrong. 5 months in prison is too much, considering all that she's had to go through already.

Journeyman · 07-16-2004, 04:31 PM

Someone should find a way to extradict her to Arizona and put her under Joe Arpaio's jurisdiction. Many opinions on both sides would change, right before her lawyers changed a few things too.

kurty[B] · 07-16-2004, 07:17 PM

It's all a ploy to distract the public from the Enron execs... Nail a "little big fish" so that we can let the big boys go without the public attention.

Of course, I'm not up to date on either cases, so I'm really just shooting shit against the wind.

MSD · 07-16-2004, 07:31 PM

Martha is a big time designer, give her 40 hours a week of community service with some organization like Habitat for Humanity. I'm sure the people who get the houses would appreciate the professional decoration.

Quote:

Originally posted by Stompy
It's like how OJ was found NOT GUILTY of the murders, yet their families could sue him for $$.

The rule of thumb is 90% sure of guilt is suitable to prosecute in criminal trials, 50% is for civil settlements.

Quadraton · 07-16-2004, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Quadraton
Martha Stewart walks away with a slap on the wrist for lying about something where she did nothing wrong, and her business is crumbling at the foundations.

Okay, I think I might have been wrong about the "business crumbling at the foundations" bit. I just heard the stock for her company went up another $3.00

Still doesn't change the fact the government scewed up big time, and isn't willing to admit it.

Esco · 07-16-2004, 10:27 PM

I would love to see how she spends her time in prison. I'd be willing to cut her sentence short by a month if cameras were allowed to follow her for the other 4 months. Just think of how creative she could get creating a shank or "hooch juice".

thadon · 07-17-2004, 07:36 PM

you would think that the sec would bust her balls hard core. They normally do not fock around. I used to work at a brokerage firm and know they take the chit she did seriously. I hate Martha's crusty azz, they should have made a better example of her

brianna · 07-17-2004, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thadon
you would think that the sec would bust her balls hard core. They normally do not fock around. I used to work at a brokerage firm and know they take the chit she did seriously. I hate Martha's crusty azz, they should have made a better example of her

why do you hate her? did you hate her a year ago? I find it somewhat dubious that you could come to hate someone that you don't even know based on the tabloid heavy "news" that has been broadcast on this subject.

i'm also a little concerned about what you think she was convicted of -- it's not insider trading, they couldn't get her on that.

whocarz · 07-17-2004, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stompy
Look at Scott Weiland and his heroin shit. If any of us even got busted with MARIJUANA, we'd be fucked... let alone goddamn cocaine and heroin!!

Bullshit. Most minor drug possession charges are slaps on the wrist. I've known plenty of people who were caught with small amounts of drugs and all they got was a fine and probation. That isn't my definition of being "fucked". You get "fucked" when they catch you with enough drugs that they can say you had intent to sell, or if you are a repeat offender many times over.

Hanxter · 07-18-2004, 06:46 AM

she gets 5 months in
5 months out with a bracelet
2 years supervised release (she has to report to a probie)

she should have gotten worse on this alone (excerpts of a letter she wrote to da judge courtesy of wesport now)

Quote:

I have spent most of my professional life creating, writing, researching, and thinking on the highest possible level about quality of life, about giving, about providing, so that millions of people, from all economic strata, can enjoy beauty, good quality, well made products, and impeccably researched information about many hundreds of subjects which can lead to a better life and more rewarding family lifestyle.

The company was fast growing, well run, well managed, and without debt and it was productively creating how-to information and consumer products centered on my original ideas.

this is nauseating - using someone elses tragedy in her plea...

Quote:

One of the two original producers of our one hour daily television show, Carolyn Kelly, was buried this past Tuesday, a victim of a cancerous brain tumor. She was just 43 and the mother of three young children. The other original producer spoke proudly at the funeral of their joint contributions and their helping to shape the vision, with me, of a pioneering, Emmy award winning, and how-to television show.

Quote:

As a child I was drawn to the novels of Willa Cather, Upton Sinclair, Dostoevsky and Gogol. I loved Cather's My Antonia and decided early on that even if I could not be a pioneer in a true Westward Ho! Manner, I could attempt to forge new territories for American business. I knew what American homemakers needed and wanted, because I listened.

...but it is very important for me to inform you that I never intended to harm anyone and I am dreadfully sorry that the perception of my conduct has caused my family, my friends and especially my beloved company so much damage.

"perception"??? indeed...

Quote:

And here we come, of course, to the conundrum, the problem, the Kafkaesque confusion. What to do?

The problem is yours, but it is also mine.

I ask that in judging me you consider all the good that I have done, all the contributions I have made and the intense suffering that has accompanied every single moment of the past two and a half years. I seek the opportunity to continue serving my community in a positive manner, to attempt to repair the damage that has been done and to get on with what I have always considered was a good, worthwhile and exemplary life.

My heart goes out to you; my prayers are with you, and my hopes that my life will not be completely destroyed lie entirely in your hands.

this letter is nothing but "me me me - poor poor pitiful me"

this pathetic gasbag couldn't turn over a good compost pile let alone a new leaf - humility is not in her vocabulary - contrite,to her, is brand of brass polish - and yet, as she addresses the throngs in front of the courthouse, her statement turns into a fucking commercial...

article found in "Courts Illustrated"

i hope her new "sisters" show her how to properly handle a broom

brianna · 07-18-2004, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hanxter

this letter is nothing but "me me me - poor poor pitiful me"

if being as jerk and feeling like a victim were illegal our jails would be even more crowded then they already are.

Quote:

Originally posted by Hanxter

this pathetic gasbag couldn't turn over a good compost pile let alone a new leaf - humility is not in her vocabulary - contrite,to her, is brand of brass polish - and yet, as she addresses the throngs in front of the courthouse, her statement turns into a fucking commercial...

i hope her new "sisters" show her how to properly handle a broom

your own statements here don't sound like you're much of the humanitarian either.

Hanxter · 07-18-2004, 08:58 AM

humanitarian has nothing to do with it...

she's self-serving, remorseless, doesn't see her actions as wrong, she treats people with servility, then goes on to promote her own agenda as being more important than the truth

Hanxter · 07-18-2004, 09:20 AM

riches gotten by service, though it be of the best rise, yet when they are gotten by flattery, feeding humors, and other servile conditions, they may be placed amongst the worst.

sir francis bacon

brianna · 07-18-2004, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hanxter
humanitarian has nothing to do with it...

she's self-serving, remorseless, doesn't see her actions as wrong, she treats people with servility, then goes on to promote her own agenda as being more important than the truth

still not illegal. in fact i would call most of those traits human nature. most people see thier actions as defendable and those that disagree with them as wrong or not able to see things from their side.

Hanxter · 07-18-2004, 09:46 AM

i'm not knocking that, brianna, it's her attitude, it's the way she presents herself as being higher than the law - she scoffs at the mere idea that she what she did is serious in the eyes of the courts - she has no concept, in my opinion, of anything, outside of what is good for her...

i, being the judge, would have punished her more just for failing to see that and treating the court with the arrogance she displayed

ARTelevision · 07-18-2004, 09:58 AM

It is true that a refusal to apologize or even actually admit wrongdoing does have a significance in the sentencing phase. And realistically, one's demeanor and attitude in the court room can affect a jury's perception.

brianna · 07-18-2004, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ARTelevision
It is true that a refusal to apologize or even actually admit wrongdoing does have a significance in the sentencing phase. And realistically, one's demeanor and attitude in the court room can affect a jury's perception.

generally i agree but i think most people fail to understand insider trading laws -- they run counter to most people's instincts (ie if someone in the company tells you things are looking bad you CANNOT sell your stock) and breaking such laws is *so* rampant that when someone is caught it does tend to feel like the're being singled out for something everyone else is doing as well. I'm not saying that such laws should not exist, but it would be tough to be singled out for a crime that it seems everyone is committing. I once was pulled over for doing 72 in a 65 and though i ended up getting out of the ticket I would have felt damn pissed if i had been ticketed -- not because I didn't break the law, but because the law hardly seems enforceable when so many people are breaking it.

KnifeMissile · 07-19-2004, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Quadraton
What a crock of shit, and a waste of time.

This was supposed to be the American government showing they were serious about cracking down hard on blue collared crime. Instead, they can't even dig up enough evidence to prosecute her on the more serious charge of insider trading, so they double-back, and get her with lying. [edit:] That would be sort of like their consolation prize for not qualifying for a medal.

So, how do you feel about the federal government charging Al Capone with income tax evasion?

KnifeMissile · 07-19-2004, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by brianna
generally i agree but i think most people fail to understand insider trading laws -- they run counter to most people's instincts (ie if someone in the company tells you things are looking bad you CANNOT sell your stock) and breaking such laws is *so* rampant that when someone is caught it does tend to feel like the're being singled out for something everyone else is doing as well. I'm not saying that such laws should not exist, but it would be tough to be singled out for a crime that it seems everyone is committing. I once was pulled over for doing 72 in a 65 and though i ended up getting out of the ticket I would have felt damn pissed if i had been ticketed -- not because I didn't break the law, but because the law hardly seems enforceable when so many people are breaking it.

If you're playing in the stock market at all, you should be well aware of insider trading laws. Warnings are sent out in my company all the time so it's a little hard to plead ignorance of it, especially if you run the company! She knew the law and she chose to break it (had she, actually, commited the crime, of course).

Many laws can't be enforced onto everybody because of a lack of governmental resources but that doesn't make the laws any less respectable. Speeding is a good example, as is child pornography. If you're going to be pissed off that you got a ticket while so many others didn't then you might as well be pissed off that so many people other than you are rich (assuming you're not, of course)...

07-16-2004, 06:38 AM	#1 (permalink)
Stompy Banned from being Banned Location: Donkey	Stewart sentenced to 5 months prison That's it?! It's sickening how celebrities get treated in this country. If it was anyone else, it would be much much longer.. [edit] On top of that, it's gonna be a nice comfy cell away from the other inmates, and she will have all kinds of luxuries that others wouldn't get. __________________ I love lamp. Last edited by Stompy; 07-16-2004 at 06:42 AM..

07-16-2004, 06:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cowman Psycho	What do you mean, that's it? That's huge considering the amount of money she saved.. __________________ You don't like my point of view..but im insane

07-16-2004, 06:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
mikec I flopped the nutz... Location: Stratford, CT	the link: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...martha_stewart __________________ Until the 20th century, reality was everything humans could touch, smell, see, and hear. Since the initial publication of the charted electromagnetic spectrum, humans have learned that what they can touch, smell, see, and hear is less than one millionth of reality

07-16-2004, 06:48 AM	#4 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	What good does it do to send her to prison? Punishment? Sure... fine... Having her do community service would better serve as punishment. She's a smart business woman, have her teach others what she knows. I have a friend who works for her company -- and they're more than a tad nervous about whather going to jail is going to do their jobs... It's more than just her involved. __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

07-16-2004, 06:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
mikec I flopped the nutz... Location: Stratford, CT	the funniest part to me....and the irony of it all...is that she sold the stock when it hit $60 per share.. yeah, the stock is currently trading at $80/share not a very shrewd business decision on her part indeed heheheh. __________________ Until the 20th century, reality was everything humans could touch, smell, see, and hear. Since the initial publication of the charted electromagnetic spectrum, humans have learned that what they can touch, smell, see, and hear is less than one millionth of reality

07-16-2004, 06:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
Stompy Banned from being Banned Location: Donkey	Very true. Prison isn't a fitting punishment for this, but still, it's what's handed out to those who follow through with insider trading. I'm just pointing out that she's getting a slap on the wrist compared to what you or I would get! __________________ I love lamp.

07-16-2004, 07:43 AM	#8 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	Apples and oranges. Copying a VHS or a DVD is STEALING She didn't steal. She lied, while ethically, it's wrong, people lie everyday. Had she not been Martha Stewart, I seriously doubt anyone would have even paid attention __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

07-16-2004, 07:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
ARTelevision I change Location: USA	I don't think we can sanction lying to the FBI. Underneath it all is the position (not dissimilar to the actual reason Bill Clinton was impeached) that lying to a branch of law enforcement is a very serious matter. __________________ create evolution

07-16-2004, 08:55 AM	#13 (permalink)
Cowman Psycho	As well, OJ was found guilty in Civil Court after new evidence was found after the initial trial was over. __________________ You don't like my point of view..but im insane

07-16-2004, 09:21 AM	#14 (permalink)
Quadraton Addict Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada	What a crock of shit, and a waste of time. This was supposed to be the American government showing they were serious about cracking down hard on blue collared crime. Instead, they can't even dig up enough evidence to prosecute her on the more serious charge of insider trading, so they double-back, and get her with lying. [edit:] That would be sort of like their consolation prize for not qualifying for a medal. Martha Stewart walks away with a slap on the wrist for lying about something where she did nothing wrong, and her business is crumbling at the foundations. That'll be great when it finally caves in, and all those people end up in the unemployment line. Then the government can say they did it for the little guy. Maybe they can still redeme themselves with Kenny boy. __________________ "A witty saying proves nothing" - Voltaire Last edited by Quadraton; 07-16-2004 at 10:22 AM..

07-16-2004, 10:12 AM	#17 (permalink)
animosity on fire Location: Atlanta, GA	well I really dont think its that big of a deal... I dont think that she deserves jail time for it. I am not that well informed on what she actually did, but I doubt it really hurt anyone, she doesnt seem like the malicious type. It seems to me like they are just trying to make an example out of someone... anyone...

07-16-2004, 12:32 PM	#18 (permalink)
Stompy Banned from being Banned Location: Donkey	Either way, whether she deserves jail or not, if it was you or I in that position, we'd be getting MUCH stiffer sentences. Celebrities get off too easily. Look at Scott Weiland and his heroin shit. If any of us even got busted with MARIJUANA, we'd be fucked... let alone goddamn cocaine and heroin!! __________________ I love lamp.

07-16-2004, 01:17 PM	#20 (permalink)
wallace1 Tilted Location: Princeton,NJ	"Having her do community service would better serve as punishment. She's a smart business woman, have her teach others what she knows."...maleficent I agree, prison is not the way to go here. SOCIETY would be much better served if Martha was ordered to teach others her skills, she is very intelligent and very talented. I believe that they have made Martha a tool for an overzealous prosecutor. I think that too many of us want to extract revenge on Martha for simply being wealthy. I mean c'mon IF you were in the same situation as her and you were able to save a couple of hundred grand wouldn't you? You only need to be honest with yourself, I know I would have done exactly what she did. __________________ Midway in the journey of our life I came to myself in a dark wood, for the straight way was lost.

07-16-2004, 01:28 PM	#21 (permalink)
brianna Addict Location: nyc	oh my goodness wonderwench and i AGREE -- my lesson of the day has been learned .

07-16-2004, 02:55 PM	#22 (permalink)
TM875 Addict Location: Amish-land, PA	I believe that there should be no laws against insider tradeing. To me, it's just shrewd business. Nonetheless, even with insider trading laws in the US, I don't believe that Martha did anything wrong. 5 months in prison is too much, considering all that she's had to go through already. __________________ "I've made only one mistake in my life. But I made it over and over and over. That was saying 'yes' when I meant 'no'. Forgive me."

07-16-2004, 04:31 PM	#23 (permalink)
Journeyman Like John Goodman, but not. Location: SFBA, California	Someone should find a way to extradict her to Arizona and put her under Joe Arpaio's jurisdiction. Many opinions on both sides would change, right before her lawyers changed a few things too.

07-16-2004, 07:17 PM	#24 (permalink)
kurty[B] Sauce Puppet	It's all a ploy to distract the public from the Enron execs... Nail a "little big fish" so that we can let the big boys go without the public attention. Of course, I'm not up to date on either cases, so I'm really just shooting shit against the wind.

07-16-2004, 10:27 PM	#27 (permalink)
Esco Insane	I would love to see how she spends her time in prison. I'd be willing to cut her sentence short by a month if cameras were allowed to follow her for the other 4 months. Just think of how creative she could get creating a shank or "hooch juice". __________________ The user formerly known as BlingBling

07-17-2004, 07:36 PM	#28 (permalink)
thadon Cruisin thru life Location: Alpharetta, GA	you would think that the sec would bust her balls hard core. They normally do not fock around. I used to work at a brokerage firm and know they take the chit she did seriously. I hate Martha's crusty azz, they should have made a better example of her

07-18-2004, 08:58 AM	#33 (permalink)
Hanxter The Griffin	humanitarian has nothing to do with it... she's self-serving, remorseless, doesn't see her actions as wrong, she treats people with servility, then goes on to promote her own agenda as being more important than the truth

07-18-2004, 09:20 AM	#34 (permalink)
Hanxter The Griffin	riches gotten by service, though it be of the best rise, yet when they are gotten by flattery, feeding humors, and other servile conditions, they may be placed amongst the worst. sir francis bacon

07-18-2004, 09:46 AM	#36 (permalink)
Hanxter The Griffin	i'm not knocking that, brianna, it's her attitude, it's the way she presents herself as being higher than the law - she scoffs at the mere idea that she what she did is serious in the eyes of the courts - she has no concept, in my opinion, of anything, outside of what is good for her... i, being the judge, would have punished her more just for failing to see that and treating the court with the arrogance she displayed

07-18-2004, 09:58 AM	#37 (permalink)
ARTelevision I change Location: USA	It is true that a refusal to apologize or even actually admit wrongdoing does have a significance in the sentencing phase. And realistically, one's demeanor and attitude in the court room can affect a jury's perception. __________________ create evolution