Marion Jones asks Bush to commute 6-month sentence

WASHINGTON — Disgraced Olympic track star Marion Jones has asked President Bush to commute her six-month prison sentence for lying to federal agents about her use of performance-enhancing drugs and a check-fraud scam.

The Justice Department confirmed Monday that Jones is among hundreds of convicted felons who have applied for presidential pardons or sentence commutations, but would provide no further details. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that removes civil liabilities stemming from a criminal conviction, while a commutation reduces or eliminates a person's sentence.

Such applications are reviewed by the Justice Department, which makes a recommendation to the president.

It's unclear when Jones, who won three gold and two bronze medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, made the request. She entered prison March 7 in Fort Worth, Texas.

After frequently denying that she ever used performance-enhancing drugs, Jones admitted last October she had lied to federal investigators in November 2003. Jones also admitted lying about her knowledge of the involvement of Tim Montgomery, the father of her older son and a former 100-meter world-record holder, in a scheme to cash millions of dollars worth of stolen or forged checks.

Jones was sentenced in January to six months in prison and 400 hours of community service in each of the two years following her release. She was sentenced to six months on the steroids case and two months on the check-fraud case, but was permitted to serve those sentences concurrently.

The judge in Jones' case said the check-fraud scheme was a major crime, and the wide use of steroids "affects the integrity of athletic competition."

(This version CORRECTS the definition of pardon.)

Comments

[lincat]

That's a joke. Bush has committed so many crimes and it's his decision whether to commute her sentence or not.

[JJ30]

I really don't feel sorry for Marion. She did the crime, now she must do the time!

[JackND]

Because pardons take away even a victims' right to seek civil suit justice from a criminal act, I think that pardons should be above and beyond even the power of governors and presidents.

[hypnus]

Marion, if only you had participated in the outing of an under cover CIA agent and the ensuing cover up, then you would have gotten your pardon.

[andyboy]

But cheaters never pro......O­h never mind.

Bush will pardon her and thne she will write a bestselling book detailing the dark underbelly of steroid usage. Then she'll start a foundation and devote her life to making speeches to little kids who's parent's can pnoy up the donation (fee).

[venicesurfer]

sorry, bush shouldnt commute anyones sentence. whether it be scooter libby or a disgraced olympic track star.

[MojoMeredith]

I think there are cases of great injustice where it would not be inappropriate for the president to take action. The case of Don Siegelman would have seemed appropriate if the prez wasn't associated with those that put him in jail unjustly.

[nellieh]

Her name is not Libby. Or in the future, Rove, Cheney, Addington, Feith, Cambone, Gonzales, Rumsfeld, YOO,......­.many more in the DOJ, Interior GAO. Pitiful.

[harriscrl3]

Bush shouldnt be commuting anybody's prison sentence he should be JOINING HER in prison.

Carol

[Yasriel]

That's right..He should be the number one prisoner.

[kahn10]

Someone should tell Patrick McGoohan; we finally found out who is number one!

[MadJeffersonian]

Yeah. He should not commute her sentence. They can go running together. Of course, Libby should be in there to hand them their water.

[yambartsumian]

Maybe America could make a trade. Jones for Bush.

[starfire426]

My thoughts, precisely!!!

[wm1066]

Maybe she should have asked that the other runners get thier medals back before she asks for clemency. The true victims were her team mates.

[rextrek]

Come on dear...don­'t you know there are a few reasons he won't commute your sentence..­.
1)your black
2)you used drugs (only white rich people can do that,and get away with it)
3)you need to out a CIA agent in order to get a pardon
4)He won't even commute the sentences of the 2 border patrol agents STILL in jail a year later

[petecook5]

AHAHAHAHA! Sorry Marion, you're much too honest and poor for bush to care about commuting your sentence.

[Topfeeder]

I hope Bush doesn't do it. I admired Jones for finally coming clean about her dirty deeds. She denied the doping for ages. She said she was ready to face the consequences. Let her. To commute her sentence would effectively absolve her of wrongdoing. That sends a powerful message. Just observe what is happening in the current Tour de France. How many have been been caught doping? I am not following it daily, but I know of at least 2 riders in the last week.

[oncethere]

Sorry, Bush only pardons those involved in the compromising of national security for the benefit of the Republican Party.

[joselopez]

You do the crime you do the time!!! Ohh wait this is the Bush Administra­tion...

[Quotidien]

Who does she think she is, Scooter Libby?

Sentence commutations are reserved only for those people who help the President violate his Oath of Office.

Duhhhhh.