Bernie Ebbers: Life Sentence?

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The article is about the Bernie Ebbers trial and how the prosecution wants him to get 85 years in prison.

This morning, they asked the court to sentence Ebbers to 85 years in prison. That would amount to a life sentence for the 63-year-old. I can't say I'm too sympathetic.

Listen to this, from the same petition made by Ebbers' lawyers earlier this month: "Although Mr. Ebbers stands by his testimony and is deeply disappointed by the jury's verdict, Mr. Ebbers is profoundly sorry that fraudulent activity took place at WorldCom during his tenure as the company's CEO and for all the harm suffered by WorldCom's investors." Translation: I got rich and you got screwed, not that I really meant for it to happen that way.

Bernie may indeed have been a good buddy to some, but shareholders weren't on the list. The $11 billion they lost through Ebbers' fraud probably explains the prosecution's hard-nosed approach.

Will Ebbers get all 85 years at his July 13 sentencing? I doubt it. Indeed, if the recent convictions of John and Timothy Rigas -- who received 15 and 20 years, respectively, of the 215 years prosecutors sought for each -- are any indication, Bernie ought to receive somewhere near six years. That's too bad. In my opinion, the life sentence the prosecution has asked for is exactly the sort of justice the victims of Bernie's sad song deserve.

ELEVEN BILLION DOLLARS! If that doesn't deserve a big sentence I don't know what does. If this guy gets 6 years, its a bloody travesty.