The Wall Street Journal reported today that lawyers for Westport’s Martha Stewart plan to argue that a prison sentence could hurt her company and force it to lay off some of its 500 employees.
The newspaper said the lawyers, in asking a federal judge to go easy on Stewart when she is sentenced for lying to investigators next month, will cite a 1995 appeals court decision.
That ruling spared a corporate executive a jail sentence because he was deemed crucial to his company.
The Journal cited “a person familiar with the matter” as the source for its report.
Legal experts say it is a long shot because her company has continued operating since she stepped down as chairman after being indicted in June 2003, the newspaper said.
Go easy on her her lawyers ask? Hey…you do the crime…you do the time sweetheart. She isn’t entitled to any special treatment becuase of her celebrity status. Any normal citizen did what she did, we’re spending some time in the clink! Enough is enough already of cutting her some slack. Her lies and deceit cost innocent civilians money! She is a liar and a disgrace to the town of Westport. She’s better off trading her suit for some stripes.
Wow RAM… hope you haven’t told any ‘fibs’ …. hope the Government isn’t looking for you.
RAM, have you ever considered looking into an anger management program? I hear they can be very helpful.
Martha has suffered enough. Whether you like or dislike her (based on whatever slant of opinion you read in the press) she has, without doubt, contributed many things to American culture: a sense of self pride, through one’s domestic life;
an awareness of local and non big-business artisans; and a reminder that we can make “good things”, usually out of inexpensive and recycled items, for both ourselfs AND as a show of affection and regard for others. In terms of her suffering, it has been very public, very painful (both emotionally and financially) and definately “enough”.
Martha’s crime is equal to jay walking,yet our government spent millions of tax payers dollars trying to convict her of a crime she did not commit.This was about who she was and not what she did.Remember the line from Mr Comey this is a case about lying,yet the juror lied under oath to the prosecutors,they do not care to pursue that,so what is this really about America? I would think it would be more serious to lie under oath than not.Martha and her company were doing really well until Republican Greenwood and his commitee put out false info stating Martha was guilty of insider trading,which turned out to be false,so credit our truthful Gov’t of another destruction of a profitable company.
Just call a spade a spade. Martha lied and she changing her telephone log,then, restoring it to it’s original message proved consciousness of guilt. What’s the matter with you people? Let her serve the time and get back to her life. Yeah, I’ll bet she’ll even find God in prison as well.
Ross,
You are so wrong!!!! She commited a crime, and was convicted!!!! She had clear, and early knowledge that a drug product Imclone had poured enormous company resources into would not pass FDA approval, thus causing the company to drop stock market value almost overnight. She dumped all her shares to save her A**, and YES she did try to lie about it (seems like you missed the trial entirely). HELLO, this is illegal!!!! Private investors lost millions of dollars because of her deceit. This is not at all comparable w/jaywalking. Some people lost everything including their life savings, and retirement funds on this bad deal.
Simpy calling this a republican witchhunt is foolish, and ignorant. I am not a republican, and disagree with most of their partisan rhetoric bs. However, you have brought up a valid issues in the US today, accountability, and responsibilty. These principles don’t seem to exist any more, and it is your attitude, and comments that perpetuate this mentality of ‘passing the buck’.
You people really need a reality check!!! I totally agree w/Ram, “do the crime, and do the time”. This is not a question of how good, how generous, how popular. This is about justice, truth, and the Amercian way.
Why should Martha Stewart receive preferential treatment, when someone less famous, less wealthy would be looking at a lengthy prison sentence!!!!! She commited a crime, and was convicted!!!! Private investors lost millions of dollars because of her deceit. Sam Waksal CEO of Imclone received 7 years!!!!!!! Why is she above the same justice that governs me, you, or any average American???
The justice system needs to start making these corporate celebrity types responsible for their corruption, and thievery, regardless of how famous, rich, or popluar they are. What happened to “.. all men are created equal”?????
It’s a power thing