Martha Stewart sentenced - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

James"Thunder"Early · 07-16-2004, 10:32 AM

Martha Stewart Receives Sentence
By ERIN McCLAM, AP

Update: Martha Stewart sentenced to five months in prison for stock scandal. Details to come.

Getty Images
Martha Stewart

NEW YORK (July 16) - Martha Stewart arrived at a federal courthouse Friday to learn whether the stock-trading scandal that tarnished her empire of gracious living would land her in prison.

Stewart, dressed simply in a black pantsuit, showed no emotion as she strode briskly through a media horde. Supporters applauded and one shouted, ''Hold your head high, Martha!''

Legal experts predicted U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum would sentence Stewart to 10 to 16 months in prison for lying about a stock sale.

In the event of a prison sentence, lawyers for Stewart, 62, were expected to ask Cedarbaum to allow her to remain free while she appeals her conviction. The judge also could allow Stewart to spend half her sentence at a halfway house or confined to her home.

In the final weeks before Stewart's sentencing, hundreds of well-wishers sent letters to the judge asking for mercy.

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''I am alone now with my pets,'' a woman named Ruth Ritter wrote to the judge in careful script. ''Just seeing Martha doing her crafts, cooking, gardening, was a great comfort to me.''

From Springfield, Ohio, four middle-school cooks and a custodian wrote: ''Martha Stewart has been an inspiration for women across the nation. ... A hardworking, delightful character that shares her creative ideas with everyday people like us.''

Former Merrill Lynch & Co. stockbroker Peter Bacanovic, who was convicted along with Stewart of lying about the 2001 stock sale, was scheduled to be sentenced later Friday.

It was Dec. 27, 2001, when Stewart, in a brief phone call from a Texas tarmac on her way to a Mexican vacation, sold 3,928 shares of ImClone Systems Inc., a company run by her longtime friend Sam Waksal.

Related Links

· Martha Stewart's Calendar
· Kmart Runs Stewart Sale
· Will Martha Do Jail Time?

Prosecutors alleged that Bacanovic, 42, ordered his assistant to tip Stewart that Waksal was trying to sell his shares. ImClone announced negative news the next day that sent the stock plunging. Stewart saved $51,000.

Stewart and Bacanovic always maintained she sold because of a preset plan to unload the stock when it fell to $60. ImClone now trades around $80.

The star witness against Stewart was Douglas Faneuil, a young former brokerage assistant who vividly described Bacanovic's order when he learned Waksal was trying to sell: ''Oh my God. Get Martha on the phone.''

Ann Armstrong, a veteran Stewart assistant, also testified Stewart had altered a computer log of a message Bacanovic left earlier that day about ImClone.

But the verdict on March 5 - guilty on four counts apiece for Stewart and Bacanovic - set off a string of events as dramatic as the trial itself.

In April, lawyers for both defendants accused one juror of lying about an arrest record in order to get on the trial. Cedarbaum denied a request for a new trial, saying there was no proof the juror lied or was biased.

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And in May, federal prosecutors accused Larry F. Stewart, a Secret Service ink expert, of lying repeatedly in his testimony at the trial - mostly about the role he played in ink-analysis testing of a stock worksheet. The Stewarts are not related.

Just last week, Cedarbaum again denied new trials for Stewart and Bacanovic, this time saying there was ''overwhelming independent evidence'' to support the guilty verdicts.

Both the juror issue and the Larry Stewart perjury charges are expected to form the basis of the appeal.

Stewart resigned as CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., once a $1 billion media empire, when she was indicted in 2003. She gave up her seat on the board after she was convicted, but remains founding editorial director.

In late 2003, just weeks before her trial was to begin, Stewart told ABC News that ''what I did was not against the rules.'' She also said she was afraid of prison.

She added: ''But I don't think I will be going to prison, though.''

*Bela Lugosi* · 07-16-2004, 10:40 AM

Ha Ha, this is hysterical!

Kay Scarpetta · 07-16-2004, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CoolCounty

Update: Martha Stewart sentenced to five months in prison for stock scandal.

Five months... five months. Disgusting what being a celebrity can get you out of.

Sterling Holobyte · 07-16-2004, 10:41 AM

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

James"Thunder"Early · 07-16-2004, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kaffeine Kay
Five months... five months. Disgusting what being a celebrity can get you out of.

The crime wasn't that bad. people just targeted Martha because she built an empire from scratch. they should just leave her alone.

Van_Smack · 07-16-2004, 11:00 AM

Yeah, I agree I think she is being made an example. One thing I didn't like was her speech, she didn't sound the slightest bit sorry and even came across arrogant...hard to sympathize with her.

Brent88 · 07-16-2004, 11:04 AM

She should have gotten more time. I was thinking around a year.

She's going to be in a MINIMUM SECURITY JAIL!

I hate how celebrities get off so dang easy.

Here's what all she got:

5 months in jail
1 1/2 years of supervised probation
5 months house arrest
$30,000 fine

*Bela Lugosi* · 07-16-2004, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brent88
5 months in jail
1 1/2 years of supervised probation
5 months house arrest
$30,000 fine

Is that all she got? She should have got 20 years in a maximum security prison! And a $1,000,000 fine! That evil homemaker!

EmoJoe · 07-16-2004, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brent88
She should have gotten more time. I was thinking around a year.

She's going to be in a MINIMUM SECURITY JAIL!

I hate how celebrities get off so dang easy.

She should have gotten it longer.

Brent88 · 07-16-2004, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by *Bela Lugosi*
Is that all she got? She should have got 20 years in a maximum security prison! And a $1,000,000 fine! That evil homemaker!

That's a bit of a stretch. The most she could have gotten for what she was convicted was 12-16 months in prison.

spunkygirl · 07-16-2004, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CoolCounty
The crime wasn't that bad. people just targeted Martha because she built an empire from scratch. they should just leave her alone.

Hardly I doubt that's the case at all. If it were any of us, we'd have gotten the maxiumum sentence allowed

Brent88 · 07-16-2004, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Topanga
Hardly I doubt that's the case at all. If it were any of us, we'd have gotten the maxiumum sentence allowed

Oh of course...

*Marilyn Monroe* · 07-16-2004, 12:26 PM

It's not like she killed anyone. 5 months is still a long time to be in prison, and it's probably not going to help her career any.

EmoJoe · 07-16-2004, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Topanga
Hardly I doubt that's the case at all. If it were any of us, we'd have gotten the maxiumum sentence allowed

Yeah, celerbertys get some kind of privlage

EmoJoe · 07-16-2004, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by *Marilyn Monroe*
It's not like she killed anyone. 5 months is still a long time to be in prison, and it's probably not going to help her career any.

Yes, but she still did a crime, if it were any of us, we would have gotten more than 5 months.

07-16-2004, 10:32 AM	#1
James"Thunder"Early Whoever's In New England Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 23, 2004 Location: The Apollo Posts: 7,088	Martha Stewart sentenced Martha Stewart Receives Sentence By ERIN McCLAM, AP Update: Martha Stewart sentenced to five months in prison for stock scandal. Details to come. Getty Images Martha Stewart NEW YORK (July 16) - Martha Stewart arrived at a federal courthouse Friday to learn whether the stock-trading scandal that tarnished her empire of gracious living would land her in prison. Stewart, dressed simply in a black pantsuit, showed no emotion as she strode briskly through a media horde. Supporters applauded and one shouted, ''Hold your head high, Martha!'' Legal experts predicted U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum would sentence Stewart to 10 to 16 months in prison for lying about a stock sale. In the event of a prison sentence, lawyers for Stewart, 62, were expected to ask Cedarbaum to allow her to remain free while she appeals her conviction. The judge also could allow Stewart to spend half her sentence at a halfway house or confined to her home. In the final weeks before Stewart's sentencing, hundreds of well-wishers sent letters to the judge asking for mercy. Talk About It · Chat \| Posts · Top News Boards ''I am alone now with my pets,'' a woman named Ruth Ritter wrote to the judge in careful script. ''Just seeing Martha doing her crafts, cooking, gardening, was a great comfort to me.'' From Springfield, Ohio, four middle-school cooks and a custodian wrote: ''Martha Stewart has been an inspiration for women across the nation. ... A hardworking, delightful character that shares her creative ideas with everyday people like us.'' Former Merrill Lynch & Co. stockbroker Peter Bacanovic, who was convicted along with Stewart of lying about the 2001 stock sale, was scheduled to be sentenced later Friday. It was Dec. 27, 2001, when Stewart, in a brief phone call from a Texas tarmac on her way to a Mexican vacation, sold 3,928 shares of ImClone Systems Inc., a company run by her longtime friend Sam Waksal. Related Links · Martha Stewart's Calendar · Kmart Runs Stewart Sale · Will Martha Do Jail Time? Prosecutors alleged that Bacanovic, 42, ordered his assistant to tip Stewart that Waksal was trying to sell his shares. ImClone announced negative news the next day that sent the stock plunging. Stewart saved $51,000. Stewart and Bacanovic always maintained she sold because of a preset plan to unload the stock when it fell to $60. ImClone now trades around $80. The star witness against Stewart was Douglas Faneuil, a young former brokerage assistant who vividly described Bacanovic's order when he learned Waksal was trying to sell: ''Oh my God. Get Martha on the phone.'' Ann Armstrong, a veteran Stewart assistant, also testified Stewart had altered a computer log of a message Bacanovic left earlier that day about ImClone. But the verdict on March 5 - guilty on four counts apiece for Stewart and Bacanovic - set off a string of events as dramatic as the trial itself. In April, lawyers for both defendants accused one juror of lying about an arrest record in order to get on the trial. Cedarbaum denied a request for a new trial, saying there was no proof the juror lied or was biased. More From the Times · Marketers Run When Celebrity Act Up · United Delays Payments to Pensions · Motorola Sticks to Chip Spinoff Plan And in May, federal prosecutors accused Larry F. Stewart, a Secret Service ink expert, of lying repeatedly in his testimony at the trial - mostly about the role he played in ink-analysis testing of a stock worksheet. The Stewarts are not related. Just last week, Cedarbaum again denied new trials for Stewart and Bacanovic, this time saying there was ''overwhelming independent evidence'' to support the guilty verdicts. Both the juror issue and the Larry Stewart perjury charges are expected to form the basis of the appeal. Stewart resigned as CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., once a $1 billion media empire, when she was indicted in 2003. She gave up her seat on the board after she was convicted, but remains founding editorial director. In late 2003, just weeks before her trial was to begin, Stewart told ABC News that ''what I did was not against the rules.'' She also said she was afraid of prison. She added: ''But I don't think I will be going to prison, though.''

07-16-2004, 11:04 AM	#7
Brent88 Member Forum Star Join Date: Aug 01, 2003 Location: Alabama Posts: 16,174	She should have gotten more time. I was thinking around a year. She's going to be in a MINIMUM SECURITY JAIL! I hate how celebrities get off so dang easy. Here's what all she got: 5 months in jail 1 1/2 years of supervised probation 5 months house arrest $30,000 fine
	__________________ Brent

07-16-2004, 10:40 AM	#2
Bela Lugosi Don't be afraid. Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 30, 2004 Location: My House Posts: 216	Ha Ha, this is hysterical!

07-16-2004, 10:41 AM	#4
Sterling Holobyte Harper House Senior Member Join Date: Nov 07, 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,896	If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

07-16-2004, 11:00 AM	#6
Van_Smack Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2003 Location: Utah Posts: 244	Yeah, I agree I think she is being made an example. One thing I didn't like was her speech, she didn't sound the slightest bit sorry and even came across arrogant...hard to sympathize with her.

07-16-2004, 12:26 PM	#13
Marilyn Monroe Diamonds... Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 24, 2001 Location: Where gentlemen actually prefer brunettes Posts: 4,811	It's not like she killed anyone. 5 months is still a long time to be in prison, and it's probably not going to help her career any.