Yes, she did something wrong. However, if most of us were honest enough we'd probably agree that if someone told us we were about to lose that much money in stocks, do you think we'd say, "Gee, just let it set there because it's a crime." I would rather no one (stock broker) call me. However, punishing her with jail time or having her under house arrest is a bit silly, especially since she could still continue taping her show from home. Okay, here's my plan:   Make her do community service. She's a talented woman whose hard work can be put to good use. I think she should help build and decorate some homes for "Habitat For Humanity." That would be far better use of our tax dollars and someone less than fortunate would profit from her mistake.

Anyone with any suggestions?

Hugs,
Ciara

actually, i believe she and her team offered something like that? setting up some kind of training program for disadvantaged/low income mothers, cooking, cleaning, etc. anyway, it didn't catch.

hey, i hear they caught up with bobby fischer, too. do you realize that sonuvabitch played a game of chess in yugoslavia after he was warned not to? apparently interpol has been after him ever since... they caught him in japan. thank god.

i sure do feel safer knowing those two master criminals will be behind bars.

It wasn't that she sold the stock on the basis of insider trading.  It was the fact that afterward, she LIED to federal investigators about what she'd done, and then tried to cover up the lie.  Her conduct showed a callous disregard for the rule of law and government enforcement authorities with respect to laws that do have consequences on the public.  I think, if anything, the sentence was light.  I know lots of people will disagree with me, but I think she's an arrogant and conceited elitist who refuses to come to terms with the fact that she broke the law.  Good grief, she still hasn't shown any remorse!

a) a recent president of a very large country lied, uner oath. to a federal judge. punishment = nothing.

b) a recent rape of a 12 year old girl (Tenessee, I believe)
  punishment = 2 months in jail.

you were saying?

You know if we would all take responsibility for what we do this would not be an issue.  Saying that you were guilty after lying under oath is not the best position to ask for sympathy.  

Just a thought.  All politicaians have a good and bad side.  Just speak the truth and you have my vote!

-- Modified on 7/16/2004 9:51:04 PM

Agree 100%. She did not have to say a word to investigators but lied instead. Then probably offered deal which would have meant no jail time, and passed on it. She can't admit to herself, the judicial system, or the public that she was in the wrong. Probably thought all her friends in high places would help get her off the hook if all else fails. Didn't realize that they would never go down with her ship. Now an appeal to delay things. Get it over with already. Then appeals to all her supporters to buy her products. She's got a big set of brass ones. Stocks goes up today on news and she makes 93 million. I'm still trying to find the justice.

Hell no they don't. Whether they spend 6 days or 6 years in jail they all come out to a fat bank account that has been earning interest the whole time they have been living on the tax payers dollar in Club Fed.
 If you steal $200.00 using a gun you can count on doing some hard time dodging rump-rockets in a State penatentury, then never be able to get a decent job when returned to society.
 If you steal $200,000,000.00 using a pen you will get a vacation at Club Fed and then get $10,000 or more per appearance on the lecture circut after your release.

 Is it any mystery why IAATM?

  Cm.

she should be made to serve out her sentence (a lengthy one) doing charity work in not-so-nice neighborhoods instead of decorating the condo/Fed prison room and, in the meantime, save us taxpayers some money.  Wink!

Hugs,
Ciara

Cheers!

-- Modified on 7/17/2004 4:24:38 AM

And have her prepare meals for the homeless in NY and NJ for six months. She can bus the NJ homeless in from Irvington, NJ and the Public Service Authority can provide tokens. Martha's company can pick up the tab.

Would love to agree with you. However, I have problem with this. Charitable work should only be done by those who have a true passion for it. Being forced to do it because a gun is put to your head may just result in someone going through the motions. The people in need will gain little from such an arrangement. And given her mean spirited attitude and ego-driven character as shown by her treatment of employees and business associates, I can only imagine her approach toward those who are now suppose to depend on her in this role. These people deserve better than Martha who would probably use this opportunity to help herself more than them through some shameless self-promotion or well spun PR. Anyone one who turns a felony conviction into a commercial to sell products to lift stock price is too shameless to be allowed into neighborhoods of honest, down-to-earth people. The poor are not allowed into her world, why should she be allowed into theirs.

She had me until she compared herself to Nelson Mandela.

It is sad that Martha Stewart was convicted of lying to Federal investigators.
During the trial, a Jury member was found to have lied.
During the trial, The prosecutor was found to have lied to the Jury.
A witness was found to have lied on the stand.
Why is the only one that will serve time here Martha Stewart?
I am not defending what she has done, I am asking why these others will not be serving time too.
If every time someone lied to an official, they where slapped in jail, there would be a different attitude about it for all the potential lawbreakers.
Let her serve her sentence, and send the others with her. Send the message loudly.

I agree with you that she's self-serving.  However, when I said she should be made to do community service, I meant just like any other prisoner. There would have to be supervision all around her and without her having the ability to commercialize on it. I think the media coverage should tape her doing some real manual labor without the entourage of her co-workers on TV. I truly believe she would be humbled by the experience without the cameras working for her on her behalf.  That's all! It was an interesting thought and certainly nothing to get upset at.

Hugs,
Ciara

Martha Stewart was a stockbroker (and a very successful one if there is any doubt) for much of her adult life. The rules she broke are tenets of the ethics portion of the NASD exam requirements (Series 63) These are really drumed into Securities professionals. She knew better and everyone involved knew She knew better. Thats not the worst part. Up until this hit the fan, Ms. Stewart was a member of the New York Stock Exchange Board of Directors. Some role model...They couldnt let this slide. They had to do something about her.

The perfect reality show would be to allow a cam in her cell. Priceless. Lucky cellmate gets to write a book and have 5 months of bitch time. In addition to wreaths, I'm waiting for the new jewelry line that includes stainless steel bracelets and matching anklets, or the clothing line of jumpsuits for gardening along public highways.

The woman is greedy.  If she were poor, the crime would be more understandable.  At first, I felt sorry for her.  How many people in her place would have done the same thing?  No need to squash a mosquito with a building.  However, as I continued to watch her, her attitude came to disgust me.  What kind of woman shows no remorse for robbing so many people?  Even when she's being convicted?  Her jail time will probably be very cushy because of who she is.  I agree that a different form of punishment might be more suitable, like the community service idea.

-Desi

let's understand that obstruction is the catfish of the criminal prosecutor's world--the bottom feeding crap that you use when a real crime can't be made out.  And it's usually used because it's so damned easy to prove--on January 1 you said you drove a blue car; on January 2 you said you drove a green car; clearly you were lying to throw the prosecutor off the tracks and obstruct justice.  the system is the system and as long as the process was fair i guess i won't argue with the results.  i will however question the prosecutors' choices because as a citizen i see it as my duty--was it really worth several million dollars and several months of everyone's time to prosecute someone who LOST money trading 4,000 shares of stock?  is this the same department of justice that's crying because they don't have enough money and resources to chase down terrorists and drug dealers?

would coach Little League or deliver hot meals to shut-ins!

There are 'sentencing guidelines' to keep judges from doing just the kind of thing you suggest.

I was just meaning that they'll probably not even give her jail time anyway (which is wrong), but considering the place she's suppposed to be sent to, it's like Club Med for convicts. She probably won't have any work to do except have five months to spend on her next "home" project. Why not put her to good use. And I hardly agree that she is a comparison to rapists and murderers for gosh sake.  Oh come on!

Hugs,
Ciara

I was thinking that those orange and sometimes green uniforms are a bit much. Perhaps she can alter the design and there would be black uniforms with metallic pin-striping. Tee-he!

Hugs,
Ciara

I'd rather see rapists, murderers and terrorists do jail time. Her humiliation should be, like I said before, to go where not too many rich people go:  into deprived neighborhoods (without a camera crew for her benefit) and help them. Perhaps she would learn a thing or two about how the 78 percentile live.

Hugs,
Ciara

where she pointed out the good things she's done that she wanted the judge to consider in deciding on a sentence.

If she's done so much good to deserve consideration, then any common crook could make the same argument.

Sorry for the omission.

Martha Stewarts knowledge in home decorating and gardening alone can be put to great use for the public good.  How many cities have ratty looking tenaments or public open spaces that cannot be made much better by an expert who is engaged to make them better?

I hated it when she asked for help in buying her magazine after her stocks went up. She could have at least apologized and admitted she made a mistake.  Can't stand it when people cannot admit they are wrong. Thanks for your honest contribution, sweetie.

Hugs,
Ciara

While you at it, have her company distribute all those fine products for free to the homeless like bed sheets, blankets, etc. Heck, there has got to be quite an overstocking in inventory now. And home confinement should be at a homeless shelter.

I think a psychological evaluation is in order. Now I understand her actions...she is imbalanced. What makes me really cringe is the though of what she is going to do after jail time. What new capitalistic venture are we going to see.

Ciara, only meant that my view of community service isn't a positive one no matter who the prisoner. And Martha wouldn't need a camera crew...the media will supply one for free and she'll smile and give some sound bits to show what a wonderful person she really is. She'd benefit more than the people she is suppose to serve. Reminds me of Michael Milken, the Wall Streeter who went to jail, comes out and does charitable work, and now is viewed as a model citizen, all forgotten and forgiven, even a visit to White House, talk shows, wealth recaptured, etc. Most people can't remember his crime...violating securities acts to the tune of several hundreds of millions of dollars. Did time in minimum security standing on his head, then early release.

In Fahrenheit 9/11, Bush is talking to a bunch of rich people at a fundraiser, and he jokes "Some call you the elite, I call you my base".

I've had enough of this shit.

Did you hear her compare herself and plight to that of Nelson Mandela... 27 years to 5 months and 5 month house arrest? This lady had her head up her you know what and it's scary to think that she see herself as a 'political' prisoner? For that she should be banned from ever appearing on TV.