Miggy in trouble

[nadecir]

Sounds like a deal with the feds on this has already been reached with Tejada. From the Washington Post:

The charge came in "a criminal information," a document that can be filed only with the defendant's consent and usually signals a plea deal is near. Tejada, who now plays for the Houston Astros, is scheduled to appear at 11 a.m. tomorrow in U.S. District Court in Washington, court officials said.

Tejada faces a maximum penalty of a year in jail, but advisory sentencing guidelines call for a sentence of probation to six months behind bars.

It doesn't look like Tejada will serve any jail time.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/10/AR2009021001356.html?hpid=topnews

[TyCobb]

Why? He lied to Congress. He'll get what he deserves.

So did Clinton.

[backwardsk]

Sounds like a deal with the feds on this has already been reached with Tejada. From the Washington Post:

It doesn't look like Tejada will serve any jail time.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/10/AR2009021001356.html?hpid=topnews

Why do you say he'll avoid jail time if the advisory sentencing calls for probation to 6 months?

[nadecir]

Why do you say he'll avoid jail time if the advisory sentencing calls for probation to 6 months?

Plea deals are almost always for less than the sentencing guidelines.

Six months would be at the high end of the range for someone who didn't cooperate, went to trial and was found guilty, and possibly had some priors. I really doubt Tejada will serve any time in jail. My guess is probation.

[backwardsk]

Plea deals are almost always for less than the sentencing guidelines.

Six months would be at the high end of the range for someone who didn't cooperate, went to trial and was found guilty, and possibly had some priors. I really doubt Tejada will serve any time in jail.

I hope you are correct. I hope they don't attempt to make an example out of him.

[CrimsonTribe]

Why? He lied to Congress. He'll get what he deserves.

What exactly does he deserve?

Personally, I can't judge Tejada because I'm not sure how I would have acted if placed in his position. It's a lot easier to critique from afar than to do the right thing when put on the spot.

[olehippi]

I would assume that with the plea bargain he's not facing anything more than fines or maybe community service. Still, I don't understand how lying to congressional staffers can be a crime. I mean, you can lie to police as long as you're not in court and under oath, but you can't lie to some kid who happens to work for a congressman? How does that make sense? Had he sworn some type of oath before being interviewed?

Looks like Tejada is getting the same kind of deal from Congress that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner received for "misrepresenting" payment of his taxes. Kind of like playing Monopoly.....if you get a "Get Out of Jail" card, you can then pass GO and collect $200.

[Boy Howdy]

Why do you say he'll avoid jail time if the advisory sentencing calls for probation to 6 months?

I seriously doubt Tejada's lawyer would have agreed to a plea deal involving any jail time.

[sbauer]

I hope he has a good immigration attorney.

If this is a lying to Congress case regarding obstruction of justice then his residency and work permit status could be in jeopardy. Both (lying to Congress and obstruction of justice) are grounds for considering Miggy guilty of moral turpitude which can result in getting one's visa revoked. Although Uncle Sam may ignore the visa implications for Miggy now, when his visa does expire, and he has to appy for a new one, it could get very sticky for him and is an exceptionally easy way for the government to make an example of a high profile player.

I would have to believe the plea deal keeps him out of jail and in the country.

[monstermjp]

So did Clinton.

Well that would depend on what your definition of "is" IS!:laughlol:

[Left Field]

Is that so? I always thought lying to the police could lead to obstruction charges.

In fact, I'm sure it does.

I would second that thought. Not to get all lawyerly on ya but.....

FALSE STATEMENTS

CR 9-501

*1_4803* **FALSE STATEMENT TO OFFICER**

MISDEMEANOR

$500.00 - 6 MONTHS

...did make a false [statement/report/complaint] to ____, a peace officer, knowing the same to be false, with the intent to deceive and with the intent to cause an investigation or other action to be taken.

[Moose Milligan]

Not our problem.

[crawjo]

This whole thing, from the Mitchell Report and Novitzky's endless obsession with Barry Bonds to the involvement of Congress, has been one gigantic farce. So Tejada is being charged with lying about his knowledge of steroid use by another player, a former teammate, as part of a Congressional investigation that was spawned by a book written by Jose Canseco.

There's only one way to describe this: ****ing ridiculous. And go ahead and dock me points for using that word. I don't care.

[Three Run Homer]

Let's be clear--Tejada isn't being targetted because he refused to rat on a friend. I think many of us could sympathize with a ballplayer who lied to Congress or the police in order to protect a teammate who was a user. Covering up for a teammate may be illegal and it may be wrong, but I can't say that I wouldn't do the same thing.

But I don't think that's what's happening here. Not all of the case is public information but it seems like Tejada was asked what he knew about the steroid use of Adam Platt, a player who apparently sold steroids to Tejada (the government has cancelled checks to prove it). Tejada claimed he didn't know anything. But he wasn't doing it to protect Platt; he was doing it to protect himself. So Tejada gets no credit for being noble from me.

In the grand scheme of things, this is relatively minor stuff and it seems like he's going to get a minor punishment for it.

[El Gordo]

Did the horrible team around him force him to take steroids and lie?

Oh please, get off your high hobby horse.:rolleyestf: