Jones sentenced to six months in prison
January 11th 2008 23:40
Disgraced Olympic sprinter Marion Jones has been sentenced to six months in prison for lying about her steroid use in an investigation into drugs related fraud.
Her sentence also includes 2 years’ probation, supervised release and 800 hours community service and will commence on the 11th of March.
Jones pleaded guilty last October but was only sentenced on Friday.
Jones, who has 2 children, entered a plea deal and asked the US District judge Kenneth Karas to be “as merciful as a human being can be.”
But Karas sentenced her to the maximum sentence possible under the terms of her plea bargain “because of the need for general deterrence and the need to promote respect for the law.”
“Athletes in society have an elevated status, they entertain, they inspire, and perhaps, most important, they serve as role models.”
He added: “Nobody is above the legal obligation to tell the truth.”
It has also emerged that Judge Karas had sought advice as to whether he could go beyond the six-month maximum sentence suggested in the plea deal.
Outside the court a clearly emotional Jones told reporters, “I respect the judge's order, and I truly hope that people will learn from my mistakes.”
But the sentence will clearly anger Jones’s legal team after they had argued that their client had already apologised, retired had her name expunged from the record books and given back the medals she won, punishment enough in their eyes.
IAAF Spokesman Nick Davies said “There's a lot of sadness for Marion and her family. Six months is a lot, but you do hope that it will be a deterrent to others. Hopefully when she's out of prison she can help the IAAF and other organisations to ensure that other people don't follow the path that she certainly followed.”
Karas’s actions have set a dangerous precedent and will greatly worry baseball’s Barry Bonds, who if found guilty of perjury will surely face similar sentences.
There are some however who believe that Jones has been made a scapegoat and that she is bearing the punishment of those who have evaded the doping net.
In a society where Hollywood figure Lindsay Lohan receives a token sentence for driving under the influence and cocaine possession, Michelle Rodriguez serves 18 days of a six months term for multiple driving offences and Paris Hilton spends 22 days in jail in relation to an alcohol related reckless driving case does 6 months not seem a little bit harsh?
Those 3 all endangered the lives of other people by their actions, did Jones?
Aren’t they too meant to be role models?
Her sentence also includes 2 years’ probation, supervised release and 800 hours community service and will commence on the 11th of March.
Jones pleaded guilty last October but was only sentenced on Friday.
Jones, who has 2 children, entered a plea deal and asked the US District judge Kenneth Karas to be “as merciful as a human being can be.”
But Karas sentenced her to the maximum sentence possible under the terms of her plea bargain “because of the need for general deterrence and the need to promote respect for the law.”
“Athletes in society have an elevated status, they entertain, they inspire, and perhaps, most important, they serve as role models.”
He added: “Nobody is above the legal obligation to tell the truth.”
It has also emerged that Judge Karas had sought advice as to whether he could go beyond the six-month maximum sentence suggested in the plea deal.
Outside the court a clearly emotional Jones told reporters, “I respect the judge's order, and I truly hope that people will learn from my mistakes.”
But the sentence will clearly anger Jones’s legal team after they had argued that their client had already apologised, retired had her name expunged from the record books and given back the medals she won, punishment enough in their eyes.
IAAF Spokesman Nick Davies said “There's a lot of sadness for Marion and her family. Six months is a lot, but you do hope that it will be a deterrent to others. Hopefully when she's out of prison she can help the IAAF and other organisations to ensure that other people don't follow the path that she certainly followed.”
Karas’s actions have set a dangerous precedent and will greatly worry baseball’s Barry Bonds, who if found guilty of perjury will surely face similar sentences.
There are some however who believe that Jones has been made a scapegoat and that she is bearing the punishment of those who have evaded the doping net.
In a society where Hollywood figure Lindsay Lohan receives a token sentence for driving under the influence and cocaine possession, Michelle Rodriguez serves 18 days of a six months term for multiple driving offences and Paris Hilton spends 22 days in jail in relation to an alcohol related reckless driving case does 6 months not seem a little bit harsh?
Those 3 all endangered the lives of other people by their actions, did Jones?
Aren’t they too meant to be role models?
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