Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is found guilty of corruption and sentenced to at least one year in prison
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of corruption and influence peddling on Monday and sentenced to one year in prison, marking a historic defeat for the 66-year-old, who has remained popular among conservative voters even as his legal woes mount.
The verdict included a two-year suspended sentence, but Sarkozy’s attorney said her client would appeal, delaying the sentence from taking effect. Given that short prison sentences in France can typically be waived, it is unclear whether Sarkozy would have to spend any time in prison even if the appeal were to fail. He could also request to serve the sentence at home, subject to electronic monitoring.
The ruling followed years of parallel investigations against the former president, and some others are ongoing. Sarkozy, who was president from 2007 to 2012, will face another trial later this month over accusations that his party falsified accounts during his unsuccessful reelection bid in 2012.
The charges over which Sarkozy was sentenced Monday were centered on whether he was behind a deal with a magistrate to illegally receive information on an inquiry linked to him, using false names and unofficial phone lines.
According to the prosecution, Sarkozy and his then-attorney and longtime friend Thierry Herzog attempted to bribe the magistrate, Gilbert Azibert, by offering him a highprofile position in return for information. The incident occurred after Sarkozy had left office.
The inquiry related to claims that Sarkozy and others had accepted illegal contributions from business executive Liliane Bettencourt, the late heiress of French cosmetics giant L’Oréal, ahead of the 2007 presidential campaign. Sarkozy was later cleared of those illegalfunding charges.
Sarkozy’s attorneys also
denied the accusations of corruption and influence peddling last year, arguing that as the magistrate did not receive the allegedly promised position, it proved the former president’s innocence.
Sarkozy said he “never committed the slightest act of corruption.”
The prosecution argued, however, that there were no doubts that the magistrate had conveyed details
illegally. Their evidence was largely based on wiretapped conversations.
Azibert and Herzog also were found guilty on Monday and were given sentences similar to Sarkozy’s. Both have appealed, France’s public broadcaster reported.
Prosecutors had originally demanded a fouryear sentence for Sarkozy, with a requirement that he serve at least two years.
Tommy Pham could have lost his life. He very well might have been relegated to a wheelchair, unable to move his legs for the rest of his days.
If he were not so muscular, doctors told him, a stabbing that left a gash several inches long would have penetrated deeper near the base of his spine and would likely have resulted in one of those two outcomes.
Pham recalls being rushed to the hospital late on the night of Oct. 11 after a stabbing incident outside a strip club, speaking with Padres General Manager A.J. Preller and head athletic trainer Mark Rogow on the phone and telling them his career was probably over.
“I thought I wasn’t going to be able to play,” the Padres outfielder said this week.
For about six weeks, he made weekly trips to San Francisco for anti-inflammatory treatments to help speed his recovery.
Yet when asked if his perspective on life has changed, he at first answered, “No. I still look at everything almost the same.”
The real answer, upon elaboration and as it seems could be the only answer Pham is capable of, is that he will live even more fully, according to his definition of what that is.
“If anything, I probably will just spend more money and stop saving as much,” Pham said. “Because if I die, I would feel like I had too much money in the bank and I didn’t live enough.”
Pham estimated he is at 80 percent physically. That seemed to indicate an overall state.
He is coming off two hand surgeries and the surgery he had following the stabbing. Additionally, his right (throwing) elbow has its good and bad days. He spent the winter before last season rehabbing a torn UCL.
He said he his top speed on his treadmill at home is 25 mph. He reached 24.3 mph before he left for spring training.
“From a strength, rotational standpoint, when we test, my numbers are pretty high compared to everyone else,” he said.
ELSEWHERE
Mets: Noah Syndergaard is still at least three months away from potentially joining New York’s rotation, but the constant flattery for his Tommy John rehab continues to be a positive sign for the flamethrower’s return. “The work ethic is never in question with Noah,” Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said. “He’s one of the strongest guys in camp. It’s going very, very well. He’s progressing as he should and right on that timeline to get back to help us at some point this year.” Syndergaard, 28, hit somewhat of a milestone on Saturday when he threw three sliders, according to manager Luis Rojas . ... The Mets will honor the late Tom Seaver by wearing a “41” patch on their home and away jerseys this season. Seaver died Aug. 31 at age 75.
Nationals: Slugger
Juan Soto sat out the team’s exhibition home opener because he fouled a ball off his right foot a day earlier. “Just being cautious,” manager Dave Martinez said. “Said he feels OK, but we’re just going to give him a day or two.” Martinez said the ball went underneath the shin guard Soto wears on his front foot while batting.
Indians: Shane Bieber’s first spring start was a rough one as the AL Cy Young winner gave up four runs and didn’t make it through his scheduled two innings in a 6-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals in Goodyear, Arizona. Bieber’s arrival at camp was delayed after he tested positive for COVID-19, but last week the 25-year-old said he was feeling fine.
Dodgers: Trevor Bauer, pitching for the first time since signing a $102 million, three-year contract, debuted in Dodger blue with two scoreless innings in a 10-6 win oveer the Rockies. He gave up one hit, struck out two, walked none and threw a wild pitch.
Braves: Rookie catcher William Contreras, brother of Cubs two-time All-Star catcher Willson Contreras, drove in three runs and Ozzie Albies scored twice in a 5-3 win over the Red Sox.
Red Sox: Newcomer
Garrett Richards allowed two runs on three hits and two walks in two innings in the loss to the Braves.
... Shortstop Xander Bogaerts has a sore right shoulder and hasn’t played yet.
Obituary: Vi Ripken, matriarch of the famed Orioles family that includes Hall of Fame son
Cal Ripken Jr. and once the victim of a bizarre kidnapping, has died. She was 82.
There’s a chance the Miami Heat could have star Jimmy Butler back for Tuesday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.
Butler missed Sunday’s win against the Hawks because of right knee inflammation, and he’s listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game at AmericanAirlines Arena.
“I think in a season like this with so much news about COVID-19, there can be other basketball minor things,” coach Erik Spoelstra said Sunday of Butler’s injury. “That’s what this is . ... We just want to be proactive about it. He’ll be day-to-day from here.”
Butler’s knee issue isthought to be minor, and there’s optimism he will return soon. He has already missed 13 of the Heat’s first 34 games — two because of a sprained right ankle, 10 because of the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols and one because of right knee inflammation.
The Heat (17-17) is 4-9 in games Butler has missed and 13-8 in games he has played. He’s averaging
20.1 points and career highs in rebounds (7.8) and assists (7.8) this season.
Goran Dragic replaced
Butler in the Heat’s starting lineup, alongside Bam Adebayo, Kelly Olynyk, Duncan Robinson and
Kendrick Nunn for Sunday’s game.
While there is a chance Butler could play Tuesday, the Heat has ruled out
Avery Bradley (left calf strain) and Meyers Leonard (season-ending left shoulder surgery). It will mark the 14th consecutive game Bradley has missed, with only one more opportunity to return (Thursday at New Orleans) before the All-Star break.
In addition, two-way contract guard Gabe Vincent (right knee soreness) is probable for Tuesday.
Heat guard Tyler Herro returned Sunday from a three-game absence stemming from a right hip contusion. After totaling two points on 1-of-5 shooting in the first three quarters, he scored 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting in the fourth quarter of Miami’s win over Atlanta.
Herro was not on the injury report for Tuesday’s game.
Meanwhile, the Hawks listed guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) as questionable for Tuesday. Wing
Kevin Huerter is probable to play despite upper back tightness.
Kris Dunn (ankle surgery), De’Andre Hunter (knee surgery) and Cam Reddish (Achilles soreness) remain out for Atlanta.
STRONG RESPONSE
Heat rookie center Precious Achiuwa responded to his first DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s decision) with one of his best showings of the season.
Achiuwa recorded 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting, seven rebounds (four offensive rebounds), one steal and one block in 12 minutes off the bench in Sunday’s win over the Hawks. He did not play in Friday’s victory over the Jazz despite being available.
“That’s what we want,” Spoelstra said of Achiuwa’s performance Sunday. “We don’t want him to pace. We want everybody to make the most of their minutes and you have to really make an impact. With him, these were short bursts of three or four minutes. So he really shouldn’t pace. He should be making multiple efforts like crazy while you’re trying to learn the league and learn our system.”
Achiuwa said he drew no particular motivation from not playing Friday.
“I’m always motivated,” Achiuwa said. “I don’t need a certain situation to motivate me. I’m a very motivated person. Just given the things that I’ve been through, where I’m from and my background. I see no reason for me not to be motivated at all times.”
But Adebayo drew encouragement from Achiuwa’s response to Friday’s DNP-CD.
“I’m proud of my young fella. I call him my little brother for a reason,” Adebayo said. “That’s how it’s supposed to be. I walk off the court and he walks on, and it’s the same amount of energy and the same amount of intensity. He played to that level that I wanted him to play to tonight. I’m going to keep being in his ear and keep building. That’s what it’s all about.
“It’s kind of weird.
We’re in this phase of [where] O.G. [Udonis Haslem] is kind of my vet and Precious’. But UD wants me to be his vet. So I don’t know how that works along the tree, but that’s kind of how it is.”
Hawks guard Trae
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Young was limited to 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting Sunday, with the Heat trapping him throughout the game and mixing in a zone look. He’s averaging 26.5 points on 42.8 percent shooting this season.