Griffin Speaks

AN OPEN LETTER TO MARTHA STEWART

Dear Martha:

I am an African American attorney from Montgomery, Alabama who is outraged at the verdict and sentence in your case. The thought that you are going to prison for something that I and many of your fans believe you are innocent of overwhelms me. Also knowing that O.J. Simpson who should have been found guilty for the murders of Ron Goldman and Nicole Simpson was set free makes me sick to my stomach.

In March a jury found you guilty of four charges related to a share trade that you made in December 2001. The jury arrived at the conclusion that you had altered emails and told government investigators examining the trade lies. I didn’t believe the government’s case then and I don’t believe it now. The only thing you were guilty of was trusting folks that you should not have trusted.

 Your Emmy-winning, how-to celebrated television show was one of my favorite shows. You were on television 21 times a week, which was a fantastic alternative to the garbage that floods the airways night and day. I learned from your show. Your show was one of the most informative shows on television.

 Yesterday I was watching the Today Show and I saw one of the jurors that voted to convict you. I was embarrassed that he was African American. He appeared to be someone who voted to convict you because he wanted a book deal. I believe he could have cared less about the facts in the case. He appeared to be someone who in addition to craving the book deal just wanted to send a rich, famous and powerful white woman to prison. I wanted to whip him with a wet noodle.

 Martha Stewart just hang in there knowing that your fans will stick by you in this trying time. Many great people have served time in prison, Look at Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr.  My wife, Debra and I will continue to support you. We think the world of you despite this unfortunate crisis. We know that a lie can travel a thousand miles before truth can catch it and put the shoes on it. As Martin Luther King said: “Truth crushed to the ground will rise again! We love you Martha Stewart! Our friends Lisa and Phibbs Fiore love you too! 

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com