Letters to Judge ?????

[JPope]

This was in the news:



"Martha Stewart Letter Asks for Support

Associated Press/AP Online

NEW YORK - Martha Stewart reportedly asked supporters to write letters to the federal judge who will sentence her for allegedly lying about a stock sale. ... "



Do you people think it is appropriate for others to write to a judge and attempt to tell how good a person to be sentenced is/is not, or in this case is it grandstanding in the court of public opinion? I thought that they did presentencing reviews through another agency that reports officially to the court about this. I am also aware of Amicus (Friends of the Court) type briefs but are not those typically submitted by others with some type of legal standing?



Does anyone know how effective this is, other than making someone feel better about having voiced their opinion? We have at least one former judge (Merryman) on the site, if he is around, maybe he could explain a little as he has on court matters in the past?



Does anyone have personal experience with having wrote a letter and do you think it had any affect?

 

[klenger]

I can't imagine that any letter that the judge would read would have any influence on a high profile case like this one. I doubt that they would even read them, at least not before the decision.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

OOOhhhhh Pooooor Martha WHATEVER!

 

[cap-n-cray]

I'd be careful, Martha might have picked out the interior styling and color of our trucks.



Cary

 

[jponder]

its good to see justice served, sometimes you are not as smart as you think. Go ahead and give her the Minimum 10 months in the pen! Federal time you have to do every day! She is a fellon now and cant vote or own a gun, bet she doesnt feel so smart and almighty anymore

 

[loncray]

We get letters of reference to judges every so often - more often we get letters asking the judge to reopen and resentence a case! Our judges usually just have them filed - but I think they DO read them. I don't think that would happen in this case though.