Link Webber pleads guilty to criminal contempt Associated Press DETROIT -- Sacramento Kings star Chris Webber pleaded guilty Monday to a lesser charge of criminal contempt in a deal that is expected to allow him to avoid prison time. Webber had been charged with lying to a federal grand jury about money authorities say he received from former Michigan basketball booster Ed Martin. Jury selection in Webber's federal perjury had been scheduled to begin Tuesday. In the agreement with prosecutors, Webber will face a fine. U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds will decide whether the charge is a felony or a misdemeanor. Sentencing was set for Sept. 16. Charges against the former Michigan player's father, Mayce Webber Jr., are expected to be dropped, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino said. Chris Webber left the courtroom Monday without talking to reporters. Martin, who died Feb. 14 at age 69, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to launder money. He admitted he took gambling money, combined it with other funds and lent it to several players while they were in school. The retired autoworker said he loaned $616,000 to Webber and three other Wolverines players -- Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock -- while they were amateurs. Martin said he gave Webber and his family $280,000 from 1988-93, a period extending from his freshman year in high school through his sophomore season at Michigan. Webber had told the grand jury investigating Martin's dealings that he took money from Martin in high school, but could not remember if he took money in college.
Looks like he's gotten himself into some real trouble. Hopefully this won't have any effect on Mo's status with us...or hopefully it will and we get extra money for a free agent.
Anyone know what the average Joe would get for something like this? To me it seems like Webber is being let off a little easy here. I hope the NBA does something.
They should have asked him if he traveled on that last Michigan play . My guess is the average Joe isn't even brought up on Charges. But I could be wrong. If your Clinton they try to impeach you.
They didn't try. They did. I would guess the perjury statutes are used mostly when prosecutors know a crime has been committed that's bigger than perjury but, for whatever reason, they can't make a case. Or if the situation is very clear cut in a case that the prosecutors felt was very important. The problem with most perjury cases is that it's usually not a slam dunk to prove someone lied under oath. Given the chances of success coupled with the often minor punishments meted out, it's often not worth the time. But that doesn't mean it's not illegal. I don't think he's getting off necessarily any easier than anyone else, but it would depend on the facts of the case in other cases.
and he was acquitted. I assume Webber would pay a fine or go on probation. It wasn't like he was covering up or lying about a felony nor big money corporate/taxpayer costing crime.
