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http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article. ... 15806_5208

Newly Acquired Mark Bell Pleads Guilty in California gets 6 months

Oh brother...

In Ontario, he would have been entitled to earned and statutory remission with the result that he would have been on day parole within about 3 months, if not earlier, and he would have been a candidate for "house arrest" with permission to attend work. At worst, he would have been in a half-way house very shortly after sentencing.

Will California allow him to serve his sentence in Canada? Maybe, but I doubt it given the shortness of the sentence. Th application process will likely take 6 months. Conrad Black surely wants his CDN citizenship back to be able to make precisely such a request.

Frankly I don't know what the Calif system will impose as minimums, but given the circumstances -- the hit & run, the impairment and the head injury to the other driver -- it would not surprise me that the plea arrangement includes a minimum incarceration and parole recommendation and that such a minimum is in fact 6 months.

Generally, US plea deals come with an agreed submission as to actual time to be served. Bell is already getting his "kiss" by getting incarceration delayed until the off season.

Wonder if Bettman will follow the National Felons League example and issue a suspension. This is Mark Bell's final wake up call. Too bad it had to be here

I've read a little more about it and it seems he will be sentenced in October this year but will start serving it at the end of this coming season , so he shouldn't miss much time with the Leafs...

I'm sure management was aware of the fact, that he may have to serve time, when he was picked up in the trade this year and he was highly recommended by Doug Gilmore...

Hopefully this was just a blip in his life and being back home with his family, will help him get his head straight. I for one think he was a good pick up and that he can become the Player, that was a high first round pick. He could become our Danny Heatly and thats worked out well for Ottawa, so no reason why he can't put this behind him and move on to a similar career...

"The Leafs were well aware of the hot water Bell was in when they acquired him in June as part of the Vesa Toskala trade with the Sharks. But Bell said at the time of the deal he hoped the legal problem "will take care of itself."

General manager John Ferguson told reporters in June that "with all the research we've done, we feel he's in good hands."



what great foresight Ferguson

This could be a big distraction to the team during the season if he plays seeing every 2 seconds he will be getting questioned by the media about the situation and im not sure how well a guy can play knowing he's heading to jail in just a few months.

Id say just realise/send him to the marlies and hope to shed his salary and spend his cap space elsewhere and just give his forward position to a youngster like Jeremy Williams. Doesnt look good on Fergusons part trading for a guy who had a chance to serve jail time (and there was obviously a better chance then JFJ had predicted).

Apparently the Sharks weren't willing to pull the Toskala deal unless the Leafs accepted to take Bell and his contract/off-ice issues as part of the deal. That, and Bell was highly recommended by Doug Gilmour (who is a Leafs talent advisor).

I'm certainly not a JFJ supporter, but don't fault him on this one.

juucer wrote:Apparently the Sharks weren't willing to pull the Toskala deal unless the Leafs accepted to take Bell and his contract/off-ice issues as part of the deal. That, and Bell was highly recommended by Doug Gilmour (who is a Leafs talent advisor).

I'm certainly not a JFJ supporter, but don't fault him on this one.

John Ferguson jr is the GM, meaning that when he makes a great trade or signing he gets all the praise, also meaning when he makes a bad trade signing he gets all the blame and rightfully so seeing he's getting paid more then anyone else on his managerial staff. Rumour is lots of teams were interested in Toskala and like you say Wilson demanded that the team would also take on Bell and he found no takers beside's ferguson.

Kiss any chance goodbye of Bell having a good season with this hanging over his head.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=216195&hubname=

It appears the charge was reduced from a Felony to a Misdemeanor, so he will have no trouble crossing the border to play for the Leafs in the States...

Like I alluded to earlier JFJ and Management were aware of his circumstance and it appears he may not miss any games due to Jail time and may only serve only a few months...

BlueJay_ wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



John Ferguson jr is the GM, meaning that when he makes a great trade or signing he gets all the praise, also meaning when he makes a bad trade signing he gets all the blame and rightfully so seeing he's getting paid more then anyone else on his managerial staff. Rumour is lots of teams were interested in Toskala and like you say Wilson demanded that the team would also take on Bell and he found no takers beside's ferguson.

Figures, kind of like the only guy who would fall for pull my finger.

BlueJay_ wrote:Rumour is lots of teams were interested in Toskala and like you say Wilson demanded that the team would also take on Bell and he found no takers beside's ferguson.

.....or, there were a lineup of teams willing to take Bell along with Toskala but Ferguson offered up the best package.

We'll never know.

Look at the bright side

1. Now he has a REAL reason to extend the season

2. He has 6 months to work out

Wow, theres a lot of perfect people in this forum that better not be living in glass houses.

He's a young guy and he made a mistake and he's going to pay his debt to society. Luckily no one got hurt.

This happened before he even played a game in San Jose- prior to that he was one of the best players on a brutal Chicago team. I just hope that when he plays, if he does well, those of you nailing him on a cross and calling him baggage in the Toskala deal will be big enough to say you're wrong.

kelso wrote:Wow, theres a lot of perfect people in this forum that better not be living in glass houses.

He's a young guy and he made a mistake and he's going to pay his debt to society. Luckily no one got hurt.

This happened before he even played a game in San Jose- prior to that he was one of the best players on a brutal Chicago team. I just hope that when he plays, if he does well, those of you nailing him on a cross and calling him baggage in the Toskala deal will be big enough to say you're wrong.

Made a mistake? You make it sound like this was a one time incident and everyone should be given a second chance. Well thing is this isnt the first time Bell has got into trouble regarding Alcohol and driving. He not only drove drunk, but after he smashed into the truck he fled the scene of the crime.

Coming off a terrible season which makes his contract look bad and the pending drunking and driving hearing, Bell was basically baggage in obtaining Toskala.

A DUI/hit and run should NOT be forgiven, regardless if it's his first incident or not.

Crowned wrote:A DUI/hit and run should NOT be forgiven, regardless if it's his first incident or not.

Sorry to get religious on you Crowned but lets get God to do the judgeing, it's not our place

MAS wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Sorry to get religious on you Crowned but lets get God to do the judgeing, it's not our place

Dude, it's the LAW! Let God judge his character and morals, but of course it's our place in society to judge his legal issues

How can you possibly run a civilized society by tolerating a DUI/hit and run?!

As a Leaf fan, I'm very disappointed. As a citizen, I'm glad he's facing time. I just hope that anyone that properly understands the magnitude of how serious a DUI/Hit and Run is would understand

Look it's been a year, my view is that people change. He truly regrets what he did and is taking full responsibility for this. What else do you want from the poor sap

He's taking full responsibility because he has no other choice, he's been charged.

If he would've killed a child that night, would things be any different? In my eyes, a DUI hit and run is absolutely ridiculous...and he should be locked away for more than 6 months.

I'd like to see him join a program, something along the lines of MADD. I'd like to see him publically promote the program, especially as a "name in the spotlight", and from someone that had committed an illegal act.

Crowned wrote:He's taking full responsibility because he has no other choice, he's been charged.

If he would've killed a child that night, would things be any different? In my eyes, a DUI hit and run is absolutely ridiculous...and he should be locked away for more than 6 months.

I'd like to see him join a program, something along the lines of MADD. I'd like to see him publically promote the program, especially as a "name in the spotlight", and from someone that had committed an illegal act.

He coulda denied, but i see your point. I just think we should just let it go because holding a grudge about it isn't healthy

In other words, forgive but don't forget