Should Martha Do Time?

[MaryH]

I don't think so. I wish they would give her parole. What good is it going to do to put her behind bars and make us pay for it.

[Hoping4Change]

1. You have a point. Why must we pay.

Put her behinds bars and make her pay.

[markses]

10. LOL

Nicely done.

[Hoping4Change]

29. Thanx. Let me return the compliment. I love the quote that

appears with your message about desire being everywhere. Its brilliant.

[DarkHorse]

2. Yes she should

Yes she should go to jail. What she did illegally saved her money and cost other smaller investers (like us with a 401K) millions.

No - not me personally millions, but everyone collectivelly millions.

She stole from the average person. She should go to jail.

[Auntie Bush]

27. Did she steal millions? I think you have very little knowledge

about her case! So one shouldn't be so forceful in their opinion unless one really KNOWS what they are talking about. I admit I know little about the case...but I was under the impression that she was found guilty on lying to the investigators trying to defend herself...not for stealing millions! I think she should do many hundreds of hours of WORTHWHILE community service and pay a HEFTY fine that really hurts rather than taking up valuable and expensive space in a security prison. What good is that? Hundreds of thousands of people will lose their jobs if she is in prison. What good is that? Besides, she is being harshly prosecuted because she is a Democrat...and that really bugs me! Skilling's wife is getting about a year or so...and she helped her husband steal many millions. So don't you think it is a little unfair that Martha gets the same amount of time?

[indigobusiness]

30. She did cost investors millions

when her stock dipped, as a result of her shenanigans, and they were stopped out.

[indigobusiness]

32. She had a seat on the Stock Exchange for cryin' out loud...

Allowing her to skate would be tragic.

Consider she could have settled the matter by being honest and coming clean... it is clear she made her bed by her own arrogance. She should do time. Any of us would for same.

[PopSixSquish]

3. Not Until Ken Lay Does - n/t

[DarkHorse]

Yes she should

Yes she should go to jail. What she did illegally saved her money and cost other smaller investers (like us with a 401K) millions.

No - not me personally millions, but everyone collectivelly millions.

She stole from the average person. She should go to jail.

[PopSixSquish]

4. delete

[juajen]

24. I agree

I personally think this was a setup anyway. After all, they needed a big democratic perp walk. The FDA is totally in the control of the pugs now, and the drug has now been approved, I think. I believe the initial rejection of the drug was part of the setup. Martha walked into a trap, or else she is telling the truth. I still find it hard to believe that she would endanger herself for a profit or loss of under $100,000 when she is worth millions. I believe the jury could have been rigged also. I just don't trust the verdict.

When looked at realistically, in corporate speak, this is the proverbial "stealing a loaf of bread" compared to the billions stolen by other corporate bigwigs.

Another difference is that she IS her company. The name, the products and the personality are crucial to her company, unlike many other CEO's, CFO's, etc., who don't have the slightest idea how to do what Martha did; that is, turning sandwiches and canapes into a giant corporation. What do we know about this judge, by the way. She is being very hard nosed.

As to her stealing money from the little folk, this is a laugh. Her company employs a hell of a lot of women and men, who make good salaries. I wonder how many have been or will be laid off by this fiasco. She also went to great lengths to bring some cheer and good products to low-income people. She didn't have to do that. She gives a lot of money to democratic causes, because she built her company with her fingers and brains and has known personally what it means to pull yourself up by the bootstraps.

I have to wonder how much of this animosity toward her is out of sheer misogyny. I'm really sick just at the thought of this wonderful, talented woman spending time in a prison. If she had been a member of the good ole boy club, I do not think this would have ever happened. Ask yourselves this question, please. How many of the corporate crooks who have been indicted built these companies with their own hands? Adelphia, maybe, but the others? I don't believe their hands have ever been dirty from work, unlike Martha, who has had sticky dough as a lifetime hand lotion. Very telling, don't you think?

In summary, IMHO, this was a slap down. "Who the hell do you think you are, Martha Stewart? This is a f**ing man's world! Slap, slap, slap!"

[Auntie Bush]

41. Wow! That was well said and so true! n/t

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. She absolutely should

If that's not the case, let's just all go ahead and do what she did!

[Booster]

18. It's being done everyday of the world by people

with money on the inside. I think a heavy fine and probation should be in order in this case, or the judge should take Martha up on her proposal to teach underprivileged women about business, etc. Sending her to jail serves no purpose. Where's the outrage about Bush's Harken dealings? Setting Martha up as an example is small potatoes; let's set up Ken Lay as an example - not that would be impressive to call CEO's.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

21. Why not take all of em down????

Lay, Kozlowski, Stewart... they should all rot in jail as the felons that they are. Just because it's done every day, that does not make it right. It SHOULD be heavily enforced. It's our retirements and livelihoods that they're fucking with and they have no right to get away with that!

[juajen]

25. If she is guilty,

what she did is done every day in the offices of doctors, lawyers, accountants and on the golf courses and city clubs across the nation. The big difference is that this is a men's club, women need not apply.

[madrchsod]

6. 0 time

she didn`t do anything wrong

[Ducks In A Row]

7. I agree

she didn't hurt anyone, like kenny-boy did.

if someone really wants that pound of flesh, let her do community service.

what gets me is the witness who was guilty of perjury and the judge didn't care about that enough to grant a new trial.

I guess they're afraid an honest trial will cause a jury to say "what the hell are we here for, she didn't do anything wrong"

[markses]

8. Yes she should

She was found guilty.. It's as simple as that. She should do just as much time as anyone else who is caught stealing and lying in that manner, in accordance with our laws.

As for whether our taxes dollars should support her, that's an irrelevant point. Our tax dollars are supporting the notion of punishment for thieves. That they happen to feed, clothe and house Ms. Stewart in the meanwhile is secondary.

[genius]

9. No. She didn't hurt anyone.

[markses]

11. Bullshit

She hurt anyone with a stake in ImClone at that time. She hurt the people to whom she sold her shares, knowing it would crash. That could be my grandmother, your cousin, or the state teacher's pension plan. She didn't hurt anyone? Are you fucking kidding me?

[genius]

14. She was set up. The prime witness pejured hereself.

It's time the Democrats stopped eating their own, especialy when their own are simply scapegoats to distract from the real Republican crooks.

[calico1]

17. Exactly.

The witness committed perjury and this is not considered grounds for a new trial. The whole trial was a sham to deflect attention from Ken Lay and Enron, and apparently a lot of Liberals fell for it.

[Booster]

20. But it didn't crash; the stock went up substantially

so the people who bought her shares, if they held them, actually did quite well. I bet Martha wishes she had kept those shares.

[dumpster_baby]

12. Ab-so-friggin-lute-ly. And take all her money, too

I don't really care if she did break the law or whatever.
I say imprison every rich person we can.

Heck, we oughta imprison any rich person who fails to donate 25% of yearly income to charity.

But that's just me....

[Nite Owl]

13. She could do a lot more good

with community service. She has talents that could help welfare moms to succeed and it would help her too more than going to prison.

[ScreamingMeemie]

15. Not unless she's given a retrial...which she's not. So I have to say

no.

[unblock]

16. punish, yes, but time? i think not

from what i can gather, she did take advantage of insider info, but she apparently did not seek it out, nor did she even initiate the trade -- she was talked into it by an aggressive broker. the BROKER, being a licensed, trained professional, should definitely go to jail.

martha, however, should face the STANDARD PENALTY in such cases -- first time, single occurrence, didn't initiate, no clear criminal intent -- she should return the profit probably times three as a punitive measure.


but jail time for this is not at all standard. a LOT of people would be behind bars if they gave jail time to every trade like this.

[aden_nak]

19. Depends.

She should some time, and/or be forced to return the money she "saved" with interest. But she shouldn't get a really heavy sentence, not in the same league as maniacal pricks like Ken Lay and Kazlowski. That is, unless there is some new federal law I am unaware of that prohibits people from acting like haughty bitches. As far as I know, that's not a crime, though it IS what she is being persecuted for by many people.

[CaTeacher]

22. you know, I don't

really care one way or another. Never was that interested in it--seems overblown, like they were making an example out of her though.

I am also very disinterested in the Peterson case, can't believe the attention that is getting in the news. There should be less about this and more about Kerry.

[gpandas]

37. the attention to the peterson case...

is mind boggling. what kind of vicarious life do celebrity worshipers lead? what can they be thinking?

[MsUSA]

23. She might be small potatoes but.......

I say let her fry.......and I hope they shave her head too. I HATE THAT HAIR STYLE!!! :)

[newyawker99]

39. Hi MsUSA!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[wurzel]

26. YES. If there is anyone in jail for doing less than she did.

A month in jail may teach her something about real life in America. And set a very good "white collar" precedent.

[iconoclastic cat]

28. Community service/counseling/observation for all non-violent offenders.

Even Chimpy. Except he gets an ankle monitor and a demotion to the third grade. In a public school in DC.

[timdoodle]

33. No school in DC

That is $11,000 a student, I don't want my money going to him.

[iconoclastic cat]

34. Good point!

Worse yet, have Babs homeschool him!

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

31. If Ken Lay does

then she should. Let's see what happens............

[Toucano]

35. A Lying juror and a lying witness

convict a person of lying to investigators about a crime she isn't even charged with committing.

Justice served! :crazy:

[The Flaming Red Head]

36. Hell no

Although my incredible exploding bourbon ham was a fiasco one easter thanks to her.

[Rainstorm]

38. I agree that Martha should not go to jail

She is only being attacked because she is well known. It is not justice if she is being singled out. Lots of other people need to go to jail.

[newyawker99]

40. Hi Rainstorm!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: