Marion Jones sentenced to 6 months in prison

[NYCe]

That's a bit extreme. :(

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/story?id=3191954


WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Disgraced Olympian Marion Jones, who had asked a federal judge to keep her out of prison, was handed a six-month sentence Friday for admitting she lied about steroids and being part of a check-fraud scheme.

Jones, who apologized, retired and gave up her five Olympic medals after admitting her guilt, also must serve 400 hours of community service and two years' supervised probation.

Her lawyers told U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas in recent weeks that Jones has been punished enough and should be sentenced only to probation, or perhaps be confined to her home. Prosecutors are not insisting on prison time either, saying any sentence between probation and six months would be fair.

Jones, now 31, was once the most celebrated female athlete in the world. A runner and long jumper, she won three gold and two bronze medals at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Her big smile and charming personality made her a star, and endorsements made her rich.

But in October, Jones told the judge that she lied to a federal investigator in November 2003 when she denied using performance-enhancing drugs. She said she took steroids "several times before the Sydney Olympics and continued using it after."

She also admitted lying about her knowledge of the involvement of Tim Montgomery, the father of her son Monty, in a scheme to cash millions of dollars worth of stolen or forged checks. Montgomery and several others have been convicted in that scam. They include former Olympic champion Steve Riddick, who was to be sentenced later Friday.

Jones returned her Olympic medals -- golds in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 1,600-meter relay and bronzes in the long jump and 400-meter relay -- even before the International Olympic Committee ordered her to do so and wiped her records from the books.

Jones was among the athletes who testified before a grand jury in 2003 in an investigation into BALCO, a lab at the center of the steroids scandal in professional sports. In 2004, she said, "I have never, ever used performance-enhancing drugs." She also sued BALCO founder Victor Conte after he repeatedly accused Jones of using performance-enhancing drugs and said he watched her inject herself.

But on the day she pleaded guilty, prosecutors said a 2003 search warrant at BALCO uncovered ledgers, purchases, doping calendars, and various blood-test results connected to Jones and former coach Trevor Graham.

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

a bunch of people getting picked on by the kids that used to get picked last to play dodgeball, kickball, softball, etc. who now have congressional seats, IMO

[NYCe]

On second read, she earned that 6 months. LOL

[xxxsexyd]

Sorry to say that white girl paris hilton can drive drunk and risk not only her life but the life of others and gets one day in jail... Black girl gets the wip for shooting steroids... doesn't make sense to me but hey... It's life....

[JohnnyWalkerBlackLabel]

she's not getting the whip for shooting steroids
to be honest all of these athletes are getting whipped because they lied to a bunch of politicians
that in itself is the true joke
a bunch of people in suits that lied to get in an office and do possibly 1/3rd of the shit they promised the people they'd do are sending folks to prison for lying to them
unreal

[Trogdor]

This is bullshit!

I am so sick of the government with this steroid stuff. WHO CARES IF SOMEONE USE ROIDS?!

I mean the only people that the feds go after are NOT the pro athletes, it's the amatuers, olympic people, and normal gym rats. To go and put someone in jail cause of this and not to mention DESTROY their lives, all because of some fucked up idea of sportsmanship, just so the administration of our illustrious president can cover it's big butt is bullshit.

I mean I seen murders, rapists and embezzlers get a better deal than this.

[KO47]

she's not getting the whip for shooting steroids
to be honest all of these athletes are getting whipped because they lied to a bunch of politicians
that in itself is the true joke
a bunch of people in suits that lied to get in an office and do possibly 1/3rd of the shit they promised the people they'd do are sending folks to prison for lying to them
unreal

That's how it works. The entire system is one huge fraternity. Who you know and who you're connected to is more important than the law. I.E Bill Clinton and Dick Cheney scott free while this girl's locked up.

[Legend]

Once you lie to a grand jury its considered a felony in other words "game over" .

[ShadowMaster]

"to be honest all of these athletes are getting whipped because they lied to a bunch of politicians
that in itself is the true joke
a bunch of people in suits that lied to get in an office and do possibly 1/3rd of the shit they promised the people they'd do are sending folks to prison for lying to them"

That is so true!

[johnb]

"to be honest all of these athletes are getting whipped because they lied to a bunch of politicians
that in itself is the true joke
a bunch of people in suits that lied to get in an office and do possibly 1/3rd of the shit they promised the people they'd do are sending folks to prison for lying to them"

That is so true!well spoken, and so true. a bunch of other good points made here, as well.

[thx1138]

I hope Marion gets a presidential pardon like "Scooter" Libby. He (Libby) lied to a federal prosecutor too.

[Quinn]

Once you lie to a grand jury its consider a felony in other words "game over" .

It depends on what the meaning of the word is is.

-Quinn

[CORVETTEDUDE]

Big Brother is watching....... :moon

[Trogdor]

Big Brother is watching....... :moon

No, Big Brother is Butt-fucking us.

[bassman2546]

I guess the U.S. now thinks it's a crime to lie. Oh no, we're all going to jail. How, how about the other thousands of athletes. Yeah, I thought so. She's a scapegoat just like Ben Johnson was.

[FREEFALLL666]

To be fair, steroid usage IS a form of fraud. You commit a crime you expect a punishment, these sportsmen are an inspiration to kids "Try hard and Succeed" not "want to win shoot yerself full of potentially verry harmful chemicals".

If it was a rapper saying TAKE COCAINE there would be a different reaction..

[BADAZZBODY]

ITS A BUNCH OF BULLSHIT..CHECK FRAUD OK UNDERSTANDABLE..BUT STERIODS..HMMM..DONT MAKE SENCE TO ME..THATS LIKE TELLING CRACK HEAD IF U SHOT DOPE U GONNA GO TO JAIL..IS HER DAMN BODY IF SHE WANNA SHOT UP DRUGS OH WELL HER LOSE..BUT STEALING THATS A NO NO..I HATE THEIVES..BUT ITS STILL SOME BULLSHIT..

[FREEFALLL666]

I guess the U.S. now thinks it's a crime to lie. Oh no, we're all going to jail. How, how about the other thousands of athletes. Yeah, I thought so. She's a scapegoat just like Ben Johnson was.Funny, I thought the courts were setting an example, and a damned good one at that.

[BADAZZBODY]

She's not bring punished for using steroids. She's being punished for lying to investigators about it. Lying to federal agents and or prosecutors can land you in prison.


ITS A BUNCH OF BULLSHIT..CHECK FRAUD OK UNDERSTANDABLE..BUT STERIODS..HMMM..DONT MAKE SENCE TO ME..THATS LIKE TELLING CRACK HEAD IF U SHOT DOPE U GONNA GO TO JAIL..IS HER DAMN BODY IF SHE WANNA SHOT UP DRUGS OH WELL HER LOSE..BUT STEALING THATS A NO NO..I HATE THEIVES..BUT ITS STILL SOME BULLSHIT.. YEAH I KNOW BOO..ITS UNDERSTANDABLE JUST WHAT HAPPEN TO LIL KIM...FOR LYING..I STILL THINK ITS BULLSHIT...BUT HEY ..U LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES

[bassman2546]

I guess the U.S. now thinks it's a crime to lie. Oh no, we're all going to jail. How, how about the other thousands of athletes. Yeah, I thought so. She's a scapegoat just like Ben Johnson was.Funny, I thought the courts were setting an example, and a damned good one at that.

Yeah, setting examples with one of many thousands of athletes. That will make the problem go away. Hasn't worked yet. Where have you been hanging out? That was my point with Ben Johnson. That incident was over twenty years ago and steroid use went through the roof after that. Until these 'powers that be' try to find a remedy (and it will be tough) they won't convince me of anything by taking the easy way out.

[FREEFALLL666]

I guess the U.S. now thinks it's a crime to lie. Oh no, we're all going to jail. How, how about the other thousands of athletes. Yeah, I thought so. She's a scapegoat just like Ben Johnson was.Funny, I thought the courts were setting an example, and a damned good one at that.

Yeah, setting examples with one of many thousands of athletes. That will make the problem go away. Hasn't worked yet. Where have you been hanging out? That was my point with Ben Johnson. That incident was over twenty years ago and steroid use went through the roof after that. Until these 'powers that be' try to find a remedy (and it will be tough) they won't convince me of anything by taking the easy way out.Then what would you suggest? The fine her option? Yea cause loosing money is more of a motivator than loss of freedom and rights. Saying that isnt right doesnt help in any way, suggest methods of combatting this truly harmful hypocrisy. Cause thats what it is, "Oh but they were a role model" Yup by the proof of the courts she was a verry bad role model.

Separate but valid point, I bet that if the sports star was white there would be a rather opposite view..

[bassman2546]

I totally doubt it. Stay tuned for the latest on Roger Clemens. You obviously haven't been watching the news. Barry Bonds has slept better than ever these past two weeks.

My thought is this. Since the drugs are always ahead of the testing and in organized league sport, the Players' Association protects the players, how about at least START with this.

Rather than submit substances that are banned, submit the substances that are legal, simple things such as advil, legal painkillers, injected vitamins, the list goes on. The list would be long but anything else found in the blood besides these substances is illegal and upon review the violator would get a lifetime ban.

The way testing is set up now, substances such as HGH et al. that will be banned in the 2011 baseball CBA will be replaced with hundreds of new substances that will not be considered banned and will help the athlete perform at a higher calibre. When athletes get tested and are found to carry a 'substance' in their blood, they are free to carry on because it's not a banned substance.

It may need some tweaking but anything is better than the way it's going. The other alternative. Open things up so there isn't any banned substance. Bring back Steve Howe so he can play all coked up and watch the life expectancy for the average athlete plummet to 48years old as we watch their hearts explode in the heat of action and die on the playing field.

[KiraHarden]

My thought is this. Since the drugs are always ahead of the testing and in organized league sport, the Players' Association protects the players, how about at least START with this.

Rather than submit substances that are banned, submit the substances that are legal, simple things such as advil, legal painkillers, injected vitamins, the list goes on. The list would be long but anything else found in the blood besides these substances is illegal and upon review the violator would get a lifetime ban.

Thats sounds like a great idea

[bassman2546]

thank you for your support, beautiful lady.

[KiraHarden]

thank you for your support, beautiful lady.
Thats about all I can do, I dont really follow sports, but it does make sense. Unfortunatly some potencially great drugs will be Illegal on this list for a time till approved.

[TJT]

Every time I see Marion Jones I have a strong desire to sodomize her. That's one nice ass she's sportin'.

Then I realize I'd never catch her and it goes away.

[thx1138]

@TJT: LOL.

[tg4me]

Was she was involved in a million $ check-fraud scheme and lied to a grand jury about it...too? If so that didn't help her cause. Maybe it's the real reason she went to jail.
I don't think Paris went to jail for having a .08 level. It was what she did afterwards.

[TJT]

That's what I was hearing yesterday. It was about her covering up for her coach/boyfriend and his check schemes. He supposedly took in millions of dollars with forged checks.

[flabbybody]

I hope Marion gets a presidential pardon like "Scooter" Libby. He (Libby) lied to a federal prosecutor too.

currently, presidential pardons in the USA are reserved only for wealthy white men. hopefully this will change when there's a new person in the White House.

[Trogdor]

Just the idea as something as silly as someone using roids having to be a supreme court issue is stupid to begin with.

I say let the athletes and regular folks use the roids if they want. I wanna see a good game, not a bunch of lilly livered fairies fluttering about.

I remember seeing a baseball game where the crowd booed some player cause he did roids....well, then hit a homerun, right out of the field. And guess what, those hecklers and folks that were booing, they shut up fast.

And as I said before, the courts, as always, goes after normal regular people on issues like this. Meaning they go after normal gym rats who wanna get a boost in training or getting bigger. I have pondered it myself cause getting bigger is VERY slow process for me, while I see other guys get their arms another inch bigger by pretty much looking as a barbell. I say just let the people use fucking roids if they want to.

A person outta be able to do whatever they wanna do to they body.

and not to mention the Detroit Tigers and the Lions OUTTA BE on roids, might actually win a game for once. :P

Once again, the roids issue is just another example, like the banning of same sex marriage, of the administration of our ILLUSTRIOUS president to cover its ass for fucking up the country for the past several years.

[bassman2546]

I agree, a person should be able to do whatever they want to do to their body - but within the legal limits of the law.

If you want to repeatedly punch yourself in the nuts until you can't take it anymore, go ahead, the law isn't stopping you. If you want to bulk up using steroids or get high on coke, go ahead but the law isn't on your side.

If we allow what you say then there becomes many gray areas and other outside involvement. For example, why did I hold up the local drug store? Well for drugs because the law says I can do whatever I want to my body. Why did I break into the liquor store and drink and drive? Because the law said I could do whatever I want to my body.

You may think this is far fetched, but you would be surprised at the lengths people would go to if one was allowed to let areas of addiction slide (and steroids is an addiction. your high is higher perfomance and larger amounts of muscle mass).

[dun kingggg]

i dont know, either way its dishonesty.

athletes shouldn't use performance enhancing drugs for the simple fact that training has advanced so much in th last 30 years that you can reach the same level as the person on drugs simply by training smarter than that person.

i played hockey for 10 years and always had the edge because i was the one who would work out constantly when i wasn't playing... i never took the easy way out, although sometimes i DID get awful lazy...

[dun kingggg]

gaining weight isnt as simple as shooting up steroids or taking a diet supplement or whathaveyou.

you need to have the right routine to gain mass and to fit your body type.

i, being an ectomorph, have an extremely hard time gaining mass, but have realized that regardless of my diet and workout habits, i stay very lean and cut. if i wanted to gain serious mass, i'd have to quadruple my protein AND fat intake, and do low repetitions of high weights, and cut out aerobic exercise.

[bassman2546]

I agree what you're saying as I too have an ectomorph body type. I've never done steroids nor will I. People that do the roids get pissed that people think that's all they do is take steroids and get big. They train hard but steroids are very forgiving when it comes to bad technique and training as hard as a natural bodybuilder. The steroid bodybuilder doesn't realize that they don't train as hard as the natural bodybuilder because they don't know what it's like to train hard naturally.

I train very very hard and eat properly and am very limited on my muscle gain. So, I choose to stay lean and less bulky instead.

Watch the protein intake dun kinggggg. Quadrupling it isn't necessary as most of that will go to waste and over the course of time damage your kidneys. I'm a firm believer that a 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight is plenty as a normal rule. The rest goes into the toilet or builds up on the kidneys.

[Trogdor]

I agree, a person should be able to do whatever they want to do to their body - but within the legal limits of the law.

If you want to repeatedly punch yourself in the nuts until you can't take it anymore, go ahead, the law isn't stopping you. If you want to bulk up using steroids or get high on coke, go ahead but the law isn't on your side.

If we allow what you say then there becomes many gray areas and other outside involvement. For example, why did I hold up the local drug store? Well for drugs because the law says I can do whatever I want to my body. Why did I break into the liquor store and drink and drive? Because the law said I could do whatever I want to my body.

You may think this is far fetched, but you would be surprised at the lengths people would go to if one was allowed to let areas of addiction slide (and steroids is an addiction. your high is higher perfomance and larger amounts of muscle mass).


Shit, I'm cursed with a super high metabolism, and eat like a horse ,train my ass off, I am very strong, but I'm still the tall, thin guy in the gym. Some of us could use roids.

And the reason the feds are going after all this roid stuff is to cover their asses for the incompentence of the administration. And the reason drugs are illegal is not cause of what they do, or the moral implication. it's cause the feds can't make money over it.


Journalist: Mr. President, the wars in Iraq is a joke, gas is 3 dollars a gallon, unemployment is high, the health care system is failing, and the American dollar is in trouble, what do you have to say for this?

Dubya: Steroids are bad, and marriage is between a man and a women!

[dun kingggg]

I agree what you're saying as I too have an ectomorph body type. I've never done steroids nor will I. People that do the roids get pissed that people think that's all they do is take steroids and get big. They train hard but steroids are very forgiving when it comes to bad technique and training as hard as a natural bodybuilder. The steroid bodybuilder doesn't realize that they don't train as hard as the natural bodybuilder because they don't know what it's like to train hard naturally.

I train very very hard and eat properly and am very limited on my muscle gain. So, I choose to stay lean and less bulky instead.

Watch the protein intake dun kinggggg. Quadrupling it isn't necessary as most of that will go to waste and over the course of time damage your kidneys. I'm a firm believer that a 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight is plenty as a normal rule. The rest goes into the toilet or builds up on the kidneys.

well my maintenance level is like 5000 calories a day on non workout days, so i have to get an extra, and if im bulking, i have to eat extra. i try not to fuck with protein powders, i just prepare my own meals and know whats in them and dont combine foods like that.

i have a pretty good grasp on what im doing, but im not trying to gain weight or anything like that, its not my appeal.

steroids are a stupid shortcut, and they take out the whole process of learning about your body and seeing what works and what doesnt by giving you quick results for doing things wrong.