Madoff’s lawyer requests 12-year sentence – Jun. 23, 2009 The claim is that this is an effective life sentence. NO IT IS NOT. By that logic why not give him 100 years since he’ll die along the way. What is the point? There is an off-chance he gets out in 12 years and can rush to the numbered Swiss Bank Account and get some cash out for the family. That’s what he is up to here. He’ll be 83 when he gets out. It would be an outrage.
The lawyer for Bernard Madoff, the confessed Ponzi scammer who faces a maximum of 150 years in prison, requested a 12-year sentence from the judge set to mete out his sentence on Monday.
Madoff defense attorney Ira Lee Sorkin made the request in a letter to Judge Denny Chin of U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Sorkin focused on the age of his septuagenarian client, as well as his “non-violent nature” and his “voluntary surrender” to authorities.
“Mr. Madoff is currently 71 years old and has an approximate life expectancy of 13 years,” wrote Sorkin, whose letter was released on Tuesday. “A prison term of 12 years – just short of an effective life sentence – will sufficiently address the goals of deterrence, protecting the public and promoting respect for the law.”
They should waterboard him until he gives up the cash.
The lawyer can ask for whatever he wants. It is up to the judge not to laugh out loud at the lawyer when he asks for 12 years.
It is possible this guy provided an invaluable service to mankind.
A lot of wealthy people could use some hubris, some manners and — most important — could benefit from the feeling of an honest day’s work.
Think of all of these formerly wealthy people that he has helped.
One day he may come to be known as “The Great Healer”.
lets see..
Hidden money, someplace around the world..
the GOV cant get it or find it..
WHO has the numbers??
WHO knows WHERE the money is??
Let him out..TRAck HIM LIKE YOU want, TO THE REST OF THE NATION..
12 year sentence, means that he’s out in six years (2015). Given the reality that all convicted criminals were eligible for parole in half of their actual sentence time — he can still have a few years to get back in the game. He’ll be 76…heck, that leaves him at least a half dozen or so years to rip of some new victims.
Life. 12 years and he’ll be out on parole in no time.
American justice.
12 years is fine.
That’s 4.16 billion per year.
What would the judge give someone who merely stole one billion?
At this rate, that would be not quite three months.
Sounds fair.
#3 – Stocks.
Maybe refering to the old fashion wooden stocks used by the Puritans in New England?
A wooden block looking something like a oxen yoke. The wrists and neck are secured in the block, which is attached to a post standing 4′-5′ high. Creating a situation where the prisoner stands, but is bent over at the waist and hardly able move more than a wiggle.
Kinky!
And yet so appropriate for those who want to come up from behind and ‘surprise’ him.
12 years of prison is TOO much, IMHO. I am generally against prison for non-violent offenders.
But I do think he and his wife should be forced to give up EVERY ASSET they own and it be given to the people they bilked. And I mean EVERY DIME, every car, every house, everything.
Then, he should be forced to do community service the rest of his life. Any future money he earns above poverty should be given to the people he scammed.
Hey wait, hasn’t this guy been stealing longer than that!?!? So is that general population in a federal prison? I doubt it. This guy deserves to be executed for treason, make an example of him, otherwise the next Bernie Madoff won’t be far behind. American justice, talk about your oxymorons…
This man should not have to spend more than six years in a minimum security prison, with weekend visits to his wife. Good Lord! Hasn’t he suffered enough? You people are vicious! He hasn’t physically hurt anyone!
#30, Greg, I’m inclined to agree. I’ve never bought into the whole “debt to society” thing. He doesn’t owe me anything. The people he owes something to are all of those he committed an act(s) of fraud against. And it will take a mighty long time for that debt to be paid in full.
Considering the amount of harm he did I say bury him under the jail.
When are the people that helped him going to be arrested? I don’t think anyone is dumb enough to think he did this by himself.
No don’t give him any jail time. Just have him be in a locked room for say an hour with some of the people he riped off. If he can walkout of that then he can go free
#32, faxon,
Actually you raise a good point.
Traditionally, white collar criminals have stolen far more and received far lighter sentences than someone who burgles your house. They almost always end up in minimum security facilities and the burglar does hard time.
Why change now?
1200 years is more like it.
#32 – he has harmed people. He took their money. If you take someones life savings that’s almost the same a murdering them. Hell, maybe worse. Without money there is nothing.
Madoff is in the same category as a spammer – no punishment is too horrible.
They should kill him in hi-def during primetime broadcast on all stations.
Should give Madoff a year for every billion stolen !!! That’s about 60 !!!
Sea Lawyer,
Thanks for the inclined agreement.
Jail should be reserved for violent criminals, as a principle.
For a guy like this, living the rest of his life at the poverty line would be horrible.
Consider Martha Stewart — doing jail-time but remaining wealthy was OK with her. No jail but no wealth would have been far worse.