But not like you would expect...

 

Martha gets out of prison and has helicopters watching her feed her horses. WCOM's top exec who is accused of $11 billion worth of fraud has his jury in day two of diliberations and it is on page 5 of the business section.

 

That is just wrong.

 

A federal jury in New York ended its second day of deliberations Monday without reaching a verdict in the fraud trial of former WorldCom Inc. Chief Executive Bernard Ebbers. He is accused of leading an $11 billion fraud that drove the company into the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.

 

The jury of seven women and five men spent seven hours deliberating Monday. During the day, the jury sent notes to U.S. District Judge Barbara Jones requesting transcripts of trial testimony and exhibits, including a handwritten letter to Ebbers from former WorldCom finance chief Scott Sullivan.

 

The verdict is likely to turn on whether jurors believe Sullivan or Ebbers, who testified in his own defense. Sullivan testified that Ebbers repeatedly told him to "hit the numbers," which he took as license to commit accounting fraud at WorldCom. Ebbers said Sullivan hid the fraud from him.

 

Ex-Tyco finance chief changed rules, exec says

 

Also in New York, a former treasurer at Tyco International Ltd. testified that former Chief Financial Officer Mark Swartz altered the company's relocation program without authorization from its compensation committee, including making changes that allowed certain employees to buy second homes.

 

Barbara Miller, the conglomerate's treasurer from 1993 to 1998, said Swartz also added language so that the company would pay for the private schooling of the children of a small group of executives.

 

Former Chief Executive Dennis Kozlowski and Swartz are facing charges of grand larceny, securities fraud and other crimes in connection with giant bonuses and other compensation they received while working as Tyco's top executives.

But not like you would expect...

 

Martha gets out of prison and has helicopters watching her feed her horses.  WCOM's top exec who is accused of $11 billion worth of fraud has his jury in day two of diliberations and it is on page 5 of the business section.

 

That is just wrong.

I had 1000 shares of Worlcom go to s*** on me! :fyou

I wonder if more people watched Martha Stewart or owned shares of World Com?

They are all crooks. If I were on that jury I would say the only honest businessman is one who hasn't been caught. Convict the guys having the greatest wealth to set an example to the rest.

WCOM's top exec who is accused of $11 billion worth of fraud has his jury in day two of diliberations and it is on page 5 of the business section.

 

That is just wrong.

 

If they had reached a verdict, I'd see your point, but "Jury still jurying" isn't front page news.

If they had reached a verdict, I'd see your point, but "Jury still jurying" isn't front page news.

 

how often was a day of the Martha Trial the front story on the news? The minute it went to the jury there were umpteen reporters all over the place talking about. Yet when the largest case of fraud in the history of corporate American goes to the jury, nothing.

 

Its a joke.

how often was a day of the Martha Trial the front story on the news?  The minute it went to the jury there were umpteen reporters all over the place talking about.  Yet when the largest case of fraud in the history of corporate American goes to the jury, nothing. 

 

Its a joke.

Yeah, but can Bernie Ebbers make a doily into a life vest?

how often was a day of the Martha Trial the front story on the news?  The minute it went to the jury there were umpteen reporters all over the place talking about.  Yet when the largest case of fraud in the history of corporate American goes to the jury, nothing. 

 

Its a joke.

 

I agree it's a joke, but did Soxtalk have more posts regarding Martha or Worldcom? What are people interested in? Other people and Martha was funny.

I agree it's a joke, but did Soxtalk have more posts regarding Martha or Worldcom? What are people interested in? Other people and Martha was funny.

 

And there in lies the problem. People don't care about $11 billion worth of fraud that cost 10,000's of people their jobs, and endless people their retirement money, stock market losses etc, yet Martha Stewart is big news. I don't get it.

And there in lies the problem.  People don't care about $11 billion worth of fraud that cost 10,000's of people their jobs, and endless people their retirement money, stock market losses etc, yet Martha Stewart is big news.  I don't get it.

 

We would rather laugh at Martha going to jail than cry over people losing their pensions. Also, people who are interested in those financial crimes, are also more likely (I'm guessing) to want more in depth coverage and are probably getting that in the WSJ, Money Line, and other narrow cast publications and shows.

 

Another factor, looking at Tyco, and I know them from their electronic manufacturing acquisitions that they destroyed, is a very complex web. It cannot be explained and understood in 90 seconds. Martha can.

 

But, I agree with you, our news priorities are whacked.

Wouldn't liberal reporters want to show fat cat corporate types screwing the common man out of his pension? I guess even their bias cannot get them to report corporate fraud (can we get light green, for only slightly sarcastic)