# Martha Stewart got 5 months in Prison **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416 "2004-07-16T14:39:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/1 "2004-07-16T14:39:50Z")
Breaking News - jeez, seems like overkill for $40,000, which is my understanding of what the price difference yielded. If she gets 5 months for that, someone like Ken Lay should be worried about the death penalty… ---
**Author:** ![ThatDuckIsEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@ThatDuckIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatDuckIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/2 "2004-07-16T15:48:46Z")
Heck, that’s a walk in the park. My Dad got 3 years in prison for stealing just under $600. While unarmed. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/3 "2004-07-16T16:43:40Z")
Jail time for insider trading does seem excessive. Yeah, she shouldn’t have acted on insider information, but really now, what harm was done? It’s not like she caused thousands of people to lose their life’s savings, like the Enron guys did. I would have just fined her the $40,000 (or whatever the price difference was) and given her some probation. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/4 "2004-07-16T16:46:55Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Jail time for insider trading does seem excessive. It wasn’t for insider trading – it was for getting caught lying about it. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/5 "2004-07-16T17:08:24Z")
Best soundbite: (As near as I can remember it.) “You can continue to show you support by buying our magazines, subscribing, encouraging our advertisers to return. They’re _great_ magazines. I don’t want to use this a sales pitch…” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/6 "2004-07-16T17:27:28Z")
What’s the diff between Ken Lay and Christopher Reeve? Ken’s gonna walk! I’ll eat a big ol plate o’ hatte if Lay even has to drive \*by \*a prison. ---
**Author:** ![xvxdarkknightxvx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/34f0e0/32.png) [@xvxdarkknightxvx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xvxdarkknightxvx)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/7 "2004-07-16T17:54:48Z")
WTF? People siding with Martha? I always thought everyone wanted her to burn. At least I do… ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/8 "2004-07-16T20:53:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Martha Stewart got 5 months in Prison It’s a _good_ thing. Come on, you knew _somebody_ was going to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/9 "2004-07-16T21:03:10Z")
> [@xvxdarkknightxvx](#): > > WTF? People siding with Martha? I always thought everyone wanted her to burn. At least I do… I don’t think that Martha was innocent, or that she shouldn’t be punished at all… …but in the grand scheme of things won’t more people suffer if she goes to jail for a long time? I read that she was sentenced to five months in jail and another year and a half with some kind of house arrest/probation deal. If her company is negatively affected or she goes out of business, thousands of people may be out of work. This makes the initial $40,000 look pretty small potatoes (especially compared to Enron). Again, I’m not saying that she shouldn’t be punished, but I think the people who were calling for her head on a platter overreacted just a tad. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/10 "2004-07-16T22:44:01Z")
> [@Waenara](#): > > If her company is negatively affected or she goes out of business, thousands of people may be out of work. This makes the initial $40,000 look pretty small potatoes (especially compared to Enron). > > Again, I’m not saying that she shouldn’t be punished, but I think the people who were calling for her head on a platter overreacted just a tad. Well, I’ve got a good feeling that any company with “Omnimedia” in the name has enough people working for it that they’ll manage to get by without their figurehead for a while. Maybe they can start doing “special” issues. Like how just the right touch of thyme and nutmeg can enhance the flavor of institutional food. Or 5 tips for making the deadliest and most attractive shiv. ---
**Author:** ![Sinful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Sinful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinful)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/11 "2004-07-16T23:07:44Z")
I think that the sentence is symbolic as much as anything else. Its symbolic that the filthy rich can’t just lie and cheat & break the law and expect to get away with it. Its symbolic that they can’t just trample on those poorer and less fortunate then them and expect to get away with it, and quite rightly. Maybe they should make the maximum sentence the death penalty, maybe then business people like Martha would less inclined to “act on insider information” and Enron chiefs would be less inclined to rob people of their life savings. Her 40k cost investors in her company and employees millions in stock losses, and she needs to pay for that. Although, I have an uneasy feeling that Lay will get a ridiculously light sentence - but then again, nothing short of life in prison would really satisfy me in his case. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/12 "2004-07-16T23:40:17Z")
> [@Waenara](#): > > Again, I’m not saying that she shouldn’t be punished, but I think the people who were calling for her head on a platter overreacted just a tad. Don’t forget, some folks were calling for her head on a platter _before_ any allegations of wrongdoing even became known. The main theme of Martha Stewart was that, no matter how good a homemaker you are, Martha will kick your butt and everything you create will be a laughingstock. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/13 "2004-07-16T23:42:42Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > It’s a _good_ thing. > > Come on, you knew _somebody_ was going to do it. Actually, this is a quote from her Barbara Walters interview (tonight, I think): > [@](#): > > But it could have been worse. … Five months versus 10 months or 16 months … That’s a good thing ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/14 "2004-07-17T00:10:07Z")
> [@Sinful](#): > > I think that the sentence is symbolic as much as anything else. Its symbolic that the filthy rich can’t just lie and cheat & break the law and expect to get away with it. Its symbolic that they can’t just trample on those poorer and less fortunate then them and expect to get away with it, [snip] … if you’re a woman. What angers me, and I’m guessing most of the people that are ticked off at this, is people like Ken Lay who did far more damage with their actions are concievably going to get off more lightly. I’m far more in favour of smacking down everyone who engages in illegal activities but until they start going after everyone equally the whole thing smacks of spanking down the rich bitch more than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/15 "2004-07-17T00:28:01Z")
> [@Waenara](#): > > Again, I’m not saying that she shouldn’t be punished, but I think the people who were calling for her head on a platter overreacted just a tad. A nice silver platter, garnished with some nasturtiums…? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/16 "2004-07-17T02:10:55Z")
This whole fracas makes me nauseous. People are so eager to punish Martha for being a hardworking, shrewd, tough-as-nails businesswoman. She’s guilty of hubris, and I admire that. She honestly enjoys what she does, and offers her ideas up as pleasant possibilities for the rest of us. She’s at the forefront of the new-homemaking wave and I, for one, am completely behind anyone who wants to make homelife in America more pleasant and healthy. It’s a filthy shame that she was picked out as a target to be torn down, in order to make the lazy, ordinary, insensitive, and petty feel better about themselves, and anyone who has participated in it ought to be ashamed of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/17 "2004-07-17T02:41:43Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > What’s the diff between Ken Lay and Christopher Reeve? > > Ken’s gonna walk! > > I’ll eat a big ol plate o’ hatte if Lay even has to drive \*by \*a prison. \ That’s nasty. \ ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/18 "2004-07-17T04:09:32Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > This whole fracas makes me nauseous. People are so eager to punish Martha for being a hardworking, shrewd, tough-as-nails businesswoman. She’s guilty of hubris, and I admire that. She honestly enjoys what she does, and offers her ideas up as pleasant possibilities for the rest of us. She’s at the forefront of the new-homemaking wave and I, for one, am completely behind anyone who wants to make homelife in America more pleasant and healthy. It’s a filthy shame that she was picked out as a target to be torn down, in order to make the lazy, ordinary, insensitive, and petty feel better about themselves, and anyone who has participated in it ought to be ashamed of themselves. Brilliant satire. You belong on the Comedy Channel! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/19 "2004-07-17T04:19:13Z")
Too bloody bad I _meant_ it. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416/20 "2004-07-17T04:22:43Z")
**News Report on Martha Stewart’s appearance on Barbara Walters:** "When asked how she would handle prison food, fellow inmates and strip searches, she said, "I could do it … I’m a really good camper. I can sleep on the ground.… If it is looming ahead of me, I’m going to have to face it, and take it and do it and get it over with. And there’s many other people that have gone to prison. _Look at Nelson Mandela."_ Ok, this time I’m actually upset. While her pretentious little rich-bitch, better-than-thou shtick has made millions of us nauseated over the years, we’ve looked the other way. But when she dares mention her sentence in the same breath of freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, she’s gone waaay too far. Mandela was/is a giant of a man and suffered inspeakable cruelties on Robben Island. Martha, meanwhile, will cool her Prada heels only long enough to parlay it into greater fortune and fame. Mandela fought for humanity. Martha fought in the name of greed. Case closed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martha-stewart-got-5-months-in-prison/255416.md?page=2)