http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=1&u=/nm/20040915/bs_nm/crime_marthastewart
Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart (news - web sites) said on Wednesday she wants to serve her prison sentence for lying over a suspicious stock sale as soon as possible, so she can put her "nightmare" behind her.
"I want to put this nightmare behind me," said Stewart, who built a business empire on home decorating tips. "I want to reclaim my good life and good works."
In a surprise announcement, Stewart -- convicted in March and later sentenced to five months in jail and five months of house arrest -- said through tears she hoped to be a free woman by March, so she can plant her spring garden.
Stewart said she did not want to wait for the appeal process, which could take a year, and wanted instead to reclaim her good name and her personal and professional life as soon as possible.
"While I and my attorneys firmly believe in the strength of (my) appeal, recent delays and extensions have now made it abundantly clear that my appeal will not be heard until sometime next year. So I have decided to serve my sentence now," Stewart told reporters in a brief appearance during which she was composed but shed some tears.
Stewart, who made her name giving decorating tips to Americans for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, said she was sad to miss the festive season this year.
"I am very sad that I will miss the holiday seasons Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years -- always an opportunity to celebrate family, friends and religious traditions that mean so much to many of us," she said.
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I only saw part of this news conference - missed the teary stuff- but she did seem less haughty and cold -actually mentioned her daughter and the people who work for her company. Her statement was a little more carefully crafted than the one she gave upon conviction.
