Conrad Black could face 6 1/2 to 8 years in jail: judge

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: Reuters

A U.S. judge on Monday told former media mogul Conrad Black he could face a sentence of 78 months to 97 months in prison for obstructing justice and defrauding shareholders of one-time newspaper publishing giant Hollinger International Inc.

The judge said the 78 to 97 months - or 6.5 years to roughly 8 years - was the range of prison time he faced under guidelines when sentence is imposed later on Monday. His sentencing hearing is ongoing in federal court.

Black, 63, has protested his innocence, claiming he was the victim of "corporate governance zealots," and promised to appeal the jury verdict reached in July.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0937463420071210

[Judi Lynn]

1. Hope he can't buy an early parole. This right-wing criminal needs to do his time. n/t

[maddezmom]

2. link to a live blog

Judge St. Eve has ruled Lord Black's sentencing guideline range is 78 to 97 months, or six to eight years. Black could be in his 70s by the time he gets out. Still, it's better than 35 years, right?

12:09 p.m. ET— Lawyer Jeffrey Steinbeck is now addressing Judge St. Eve and is taking issue with the comparison of Lord Black as a bank robber.

"As far as I know, no bank robbers have ever built the bank that they robbed," he said, noting his client's own financial future was wrapped up in Hollinger International.

Mr. Steinbeck went on to say Lord Black is "fighting for his soul." Hasn't he hired people to do that for him?


http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2007/12/10/conrad-black-sentenced-live-blog.aspx

[acmavm]

5. What soul???

[0007]

18. The ones on his shoes

[maddezmom]

3. BBC: Up to eight year term for Black

Up to eight year term for Black

Conrad Black is appealing against his convictions
Former media tycoon Conrad Black has been sent to prison for between six and a half and eight years.
Along with his business associates, Black was convicted of stealing millions of dollars from shareholders of Hollinger International.

Black still professes his innocence and is appealing against the convictions for fraud and obstructing justice.

The maximum sentence for the crimes of which the Chicago court found him guilty would have been 35 years.


more:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7137080.stm

[LiberalFighter]

4. When will they work on Murdoch?

[LeftishBrit]

21. One can but dream!

Black deserves what he got; but Murdoch has done far more harm over the years!

[Ian David]

6. Conrad Black Black Black is going to jail jail jail! n/t

[tuvor]

7. Black gets 6 1/2 years in jail

Source: canoe.ca

CHICAGO — Conrad Black has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in jail for fraud and obstruction of justice and fined US$125,000.

The former newspaper magnate apologized to shareholders of the now-defunct Hollinger newspaper empire in a brief statement before his sentence was read in a Chicago court.

Black was convicted of three counts of mail fraud and one count of obstruction of justice in July after an almost four-month trial and 12 days of jury deliberations.

He plans to appeal.

Read more: http://money.canoe.ca/News/Other/2007/12/10/4717258-cp.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. That 'apology':

Asked if he wished to speak before sentencing, Black - who did not testify at the trial - professed "profound regret and sadness at the severe hardship inflicted on all the shareholders" after he left the company. But he did not apologize for any actions he took while heading Hollinger

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/12/10/ap4423114.html

That's the most unapologetic apology I can imagine - "I'm sorry someone else did something - don't blame me". :eyes:

[mac2]

16. I'd like periodic secret check ups

to see he is really serving his sentence and not released to some off-shore island sipping Coke in the sun like the rest of the Bush criminal gang (Bilderberg Group). He might have to be friends with Bush gang friends...Ken Lay, Noregia, Bin Laden (if he is still alive), Sharon, etc. if that is the case.

Do you suppose they get plastic surgery and a life of retirement for their crimes and treason or knocked off for knowing too much?

[Roland99]

9. That's good but when will Richard Perle be held accountable for his role?

I'm not even sure he's even been investigated.

[mac2]

15. Perle is a Bilderberg Group

member also. As is Kissenger, Wolfie, European royals, etc. They should all be jailed for treason and robbery. They want World Government which is treason when the people don't ask for it.

[LeftishBrit]

19. Kissinger should doubtless be in jail for war crimes...

But being a Bilderberg Group member is not in itself a crime. Making membership of *any* group a crime in itself is McCarthyite and anti-civil-liberties; probably against your First Amendment.

'They want World Government which is treason when the people don't ask for it.'

It's not treason to *want* anything; only actions can be treasonous.

And frankly I see no signs that any sort of 'world government' is ever likely to happen, whatever someone may want. Our problem is the exact opposite: different countries, groups, and parts of the world are at each other's throats - mostly due to powerful people who want even more power. The powerful and power-seekers don't in general want to get together to form a world government; they want to do the opposite - bump each other off as rivals for power! And then of course ever-increasing numbers of less powerful people end up as 'collateral damage'. I hope the entire world doesn't get blown up in the process!

[Trucker Bob]

10. Good!

Actually double good, because having renounced his Canadian citizenship, we don't have to pay for his prison time. Too bad that skank wife of his couldn't join him, but no matter, Bubba will see to his needs.

[provis99]

11. No kidding

Just imagine when he introduces himself as "Lord Black" to his cellmate. And his cellmate can introduce Lord Black to "King Dong"!

[Lisa]

12. so -- Conrad Black, Michael Vick, and Robert Pickton walk into a jail cell ...

I don't know where this joke is heading, but I like the sound of it!

[Scurrilous]

13. Judge gives Hollinger's Radler 29 months in prison

<snip>

"A U.S. judge on Monday gave a 29-month prison sentence to David Radler, one-time president of media giant Hollinger International Inc, whose trial testimony helped convict former press baron Conrad Black.

"I made mistakes and they hurt me and my family," the former publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times said before sentence was imposed. "I will live my life with this and I'm sorry for what I've done."

Radler, a 65-year-old Canadian, had pleaded guilty to a single count of fraud in 2005 in an agreement that led to eight days of testimony at a trial that concluded in July. Radler admitted to a scheme to swindle Hollinger and its shareholders out of millions of dollars.

Black and three other former Hollinger executives pleaded not guilty and were convicted by a jury, with Black sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve to 6-1/2 years. He was also fined $125,000 and ordered to forfeit $6.1 million.

St. Eve on Monday affirmed Radler's agreed-to 29-month sentence and a fine of $250,000. He was ordered to surrender on February 25, and she agreed to recommend at his lawyer's request that he be allowed to serve his time at a prison in Pennsylvania."

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSN1729986020071218

[bean fidhleir]

22. "allowed to serve his time at a prison in Pennsylvania"

Dollars to donuts it's the "Club Fed" at White Deer.

[mac2]

14. Conrad Black is one of the Bilderberg elite

sent to jail because of his greed and self interest. He was a media mogul. Imagine that! Guess in his arrogance he forgot about the laws. He was making them with his group of elites (and covered). That is not the "real world".

Yes..Murdock the media mogul is also part of the Bilderberg Group.

Can we send David Rockefeller to jail for treason? He's one upper elite at the Bilderger Group too. He's the US banker and financial mogul.

The Bilderberg Group meet yearly in a plush resort behind closed doors planning our future without our consent or knowledge. It's not always in Americas best interest. I'm sure David's father, as rich and a railroad mogul as he was, was not a traitor but a religious man. Look what happens to the sons of rich men? They want to rule the world not just be the CEO of a huge company or bank. Not a whole lot to be proud of if the fathers did come back from the dead.

The Bilderberg Group owners and members (such as Black and Murdock) should be declared illegal in our democracy. Their FCC license removed.

They say this Bilderberg Group is in our best interest but I don't agree with that since they meet behind closed doors. It is undemocratic for any American to meet without our knowledge or discussion of what they do in our name. No they aren't the most intelligent or experienced to do so.

Read: The True Story of The Bilderberg Group by Daniel Estulin.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. They don't do anything 'in our name'

They're powerful individuals. They meet, as individuals. You can't ban such meetings - it's freedom of assembly.

[LeftishBrit]

20. Agreed

And they are members of the Bilderberg group *because* they are already rich and powerful; not the other way round. Even if Bilderberg group meetings were banned or abolished, these individuals would still be rich and powerful.