Mike Webb sentenced: felonious punk

It didn't take long, once justice got up on its feet. In the end, not even Warren Buffett could change Mike Webb's legal destiny.

In a bench trial before Judge Julie Spector, the former talk host and liberal KIRO night time personality  finally got a verdict and sentencing for his bungling, nearly transparent attempt to defraud Geico Insurance into paying for a car accident he'd

had with an uninsured driver before he bought a policy.

Prosecutor Nancy Balin called it an "attempted theft." Judge Spector said, said the evidence clearly showed that Webb "blatantly and with arrogance" defrauded the insurance company.

(After his completed trial in September was declared a mistrial, after a melee in front of the courthouse that landed Webb handcuffed in a police car to a Harborview rubber room).

This time, both parties agreed to a "stipulated trial, with the facts of the case presented in the original trial, and heard by Judge Spector and considered without a jury or re-calling witnesses.

The prosecutor and the defense attorney, Mark Larranaga each made a statement and brief rebuttals; the judge made her judgment shortly thereafter.

Her verdict: guilty as charged. "Only one person made things difficult for Mr. Webb," she said, "and that it was Mr. Webb."

She found Webb's credibility, "totally lacking," and went through a laundry list- a "continuum of falsification," of bank records and lies told investigators by "no other than Mr. Webb."

Webb, 51, finally humbled, stood at the bench before the court with his attorney, as his mental health and his future was discussed. After the mistrial, he'd been ordered into 30 days of mental health inpatient treatment.

(Famously touchy about having his picture taken- in the first trial, Webb ran out of the courtroom when he saw a Seattle Times photographer aiming a lens at him. Today he didn't freak as a P-I photog sat in the jury box snapping frontals).

Balin asked for 60 days jail time with half in community service and the rest in home detention or custody; plus fines and restitution. Standard sentencing is 0-365 days in jail with a 5-year max).

Larranaga told the court that Webb's clean criminal record and that since the crime wasn't all that serious, he should get no jail time. He also lauded Webb's promulgation of "political, social awareness, community awareness," while on the radio. That opportunity, he said- and his very livelihood were finished- even though, he admitted, much of that is "due to his own actions."
( Mike was never involved in the community, if he had Larranaga would have trotted out the specifics. As for political activism, local progressives don't know him...)

Balin noted that it was indeed a serious crime- a felony; and his actions were willful and deliberate as hell.

The judge then asked Webb if he wanted to address the court before she sentenced him.

He, of course did, and speaking in an uncharacteristically soft voice, he said he was, "Mystified and overwhelmed. I didn't do it!"

Webb acknowledged that he is "guilty of arrogance," but implied if he were to do fraud, he would have done it better. "I can add," he said. (This was in reference to the bad job his novice forger did falsifying bank documents that he stupidly gave Geico and the cops. Balin showed that the columns didn't add up, the type was all hinky, and the fonts were wrong and mismatched).

Web repeated his claims (never argued court by his attorney) that someone- a kid, a blogger (guess who!) who "had it out for me, interrupted my Internet" and framed him. "It's the elephant in the room," he said, "The bloggers scoff at it, but no one has ever addressed it in court."

In a lighter moment and one that pointed up how truly bizarre and out of touch Webb is was when Balin read a letter that Webb wrote tWarren Buffett  who is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway of which GEICO is a subsidiary. He complained to the Omaha billionaire that his life has been "turned upside down" because of all the Geico employees who testified against him. Prevailing upon Buffett for we're not sure what, he wrote, "I've never asked for or received a dime from Geico."

Judge Spector, unmoved, gave Webb two days credit for time already spent in jail, then sentenced him to 30 days with the time to be served in community service in a non-profit such as the Food Bank.

He was fined $1000; assigned the day;'s court cost of $443 plus an additional fee of $100; $500 for the victim compensation.

There will be a restitution hearing later to determine his part in paying for the original trial which included over $1100 for the police investigation; and over $10,000 for flying in and housing the Geico employees who were witnesses.

Webb is to continue with his long term mental health treatment and follow all treatment recommendations, including medications. This will be monitored by the court.

As a convicted felon, he'll lose his civil rights- including voting rights, and gun wnership for five years. (Knowing his past threats to others and himself, and his bragadaccio with his licensed-to-carry gun, the judge inquired if he had any guns. He said he did not, he'd gotten rid of it. "This is outrageous," he said angrily, I never used that gun!"

With that, the trial ended;  Mike gave BlatherWatch the finger on his way out- a gesture of hope and reconciliation.

   

 

Comments

[JDB]

There is nothing worse than a bad client. If Webb had any smarts, he would have copped an Alford Plea (I'm not guilty, but I believe the Prosecutor can prove I'm guilty), and gotten this all over with a year ago.

Then again, being criminally inept never hurt Rush Limbaugh, and being delusional never hurt Sean Hannity, so there might be hope for him yet.

[Tom]

Bet Tom Clendening and Dave Pridemore are already trying to rehire Webb. What idiots.

[mercifurious]

Anyone know how to record an internet stream? If so, it needs to be done tonight here at 9pm

[Ted Smith]

OK, if you have a stipulated trial with previously-established facts, how can you appeal on the basis that the Judge didn't know all of the facts?

[JDB]

You can appeal that the judge didn't apply the law properly to the facts.

And they may have reserved objections to some of the stipulated facts.

But appeals are not about the facts. An appeal court basically works off of stipulated facts. The question is was the law properly followed.

That being said, unless Webb has a ton more money than sense, he would be a fool to appeal. The only thing he has to gain is debt.

[adc]

I concur with JDB. Mr. Webb should count his blessings for the light sentence, do his time, take his meds, and move out of the state.

And for godsake, keep taking the meds. Better living through pharmaceuticals.

[FREMONT]

According to Webb's statement linked by Nate, he has appealed.

We flipped the bird back at Webb as he exited the courtroom. Unfortunately, the bird obscured the precious photo of Webb that the Blatherwatch Photog Team had wanted to present to you wicked, hacking bloggers. Alas...!

[adc]

Mr. Webb doesn't seem to be a very pleasant fellow. One wonders how so much anger and hostility can accumulate in a human being. What a horrible way to go through life.

I do wish him well, and sincerely hope he takes this opportunity to become a better person.

It's that whole Karma thing, ya know.

[Ryder]

Okay, I know Mike Webb could get out of control at times. Even so I myself respected his voice.
For one thing Mike helped me to appreciate addiction. I recall how he used to talk about ways to overcome alcohalism, drug abuse etc. I remember Mike explaining that without understanding the source of an addiction, curing one form of it would only cause it to go elsewhere. Don't know if that makes sense to any of you but it does to me.

Right now I don't know what demons are loose in Mike's brain. But if he wants to live much longer I might recomend that he follow his own council and seek the source of his issues.

Some of my favorite Webb shows involved his discussions of old doo-wop and rock & roll music. He could put on quite an oldies review. Not the crap they play on local oldies. But the real raw groups that originated what became known as rock of the 60s & 70s.

Remember the week of 9/11? Every Seattle talk show was demanding all out war. Then came saturday night. Out of all the local voices demanding war there came Mike Webb proclaiming what many of you proclaim now.

Anyhow, dispite his off the wall antics at times I always felt that the first amendment was written for out of the box people like Mike.

Okay, I've had my say.

[David Kelso]

There are a few things that I consider while reading the coverage on Mike Webb:
Radio is a tough business, one day you are a highly promoted radio station personality, the next day you are gone almost without comment from the radio station.
Your average blogger would not last two seconds on the air.
As a youth, I never had to grow up and deal with the reality that there were people who wanted to kill you, if not physically but psychologically, for your sexual orientation.
Mike Webb has a clean record and the trail involved auto insurance (the horror).

[joanie]

Merci, I want to know that myself. I want to put an I-Tune stream on CD . . . if you find out, let me know, please. Thanks.

[joanie]

Ryder, completely agree . . .

Except I want to know just which groups you're talking about when you say "real raw groups." Am curious.

[Tommy008]

just read the "felonius punk"'s interminable statement on his website. What a mendacious, selfserving, self-pitying, pompous pile of poop. That being said, I'll be tuned in to The Mike Webb Show tonight at 9 with the rest of the Blatherwatch regulars.

[Recife]

"As a convicted felon, he'll lose his civil rights- including voting rights, and gun wnership for five years"

No, he will not gain his 2nd Amendment rights back. He can try and petition the Feds, but the BATF stopped considering any petitions about 10 years ago. Damn what was her name....Janet...Janet...Janet something

[joanie]

Wanna go to Reno, Recife? I'm lucky at cards . . . :)

[FREMONT]

Joans, that can be done, and MF has the key.

I, too, am curious about Ryd's "real raw" groups...we need names, pleeze.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" The unmitigated arrogance would be hilarious if it weren't so pathetically Nixon-esque...

We'll be listening at 9:00, Michael Kenneth...

[Tommy008]

hey this is good..... ranting about the Dick's incident now.......

[FREMONT]

Oh, jeez.....the Webb-raving has begun...

[FREMONT]

Any bloggers "who have nothing to do and have a hard on" for Webb here?

[sparky]

ok ..i admit it...its like a car wreck...I cant look away...

But its kinda creepy...

[Tommy008]

trying to ridicule Nancy Balin now....... bwahahaaahahahah

[joanie]

I listened for like five minutes . . . sorry, can't go through it all again. Train wreck? Yeah.

If anyone wants to hear Franken's segment with Lou Dubose who co-authored a couple books with Ivins, you can hear it on-line on AA starting at about 10:05. I heard some of it earlier . . . another good show tonight.

[sparky]

Yeah, we turned it off here too.....he is rambling.

[FREMONT]

What a choice, Joans....a raving, in person lunatic or a past-tense genius, Molly Ivins...what to do...

[joanie]

Always go with genius, Fremont.

Thinking about the losses on the left . . . Wellstone and now Ivins. Who on the right has or had anything even close to their righteousness?

BTW, Fremont, check your email!

[Tommy008]

now Webb is attacking Goldy- "yawner radio", "squeaky"

[FREMONT]

Here it is: "Blatherwatch has his
panties in a knot....!"

Dear Mr. Webb:
You are embarrassing yourself! Give it up! You had your day in court and it was judicious, professional, and empathic. All legal representatives were commendable in their prosecution/defense of your case. Move on, please!

[FREMONT]

(Thanks, Joans, check yours...)

[mercifurious]

I'm not sure if this is a repeat/loop from earlier, but Webb is right now reading verbatim from
BW.

He just said "Yeah, Michael, I just said your name - your probably just getting a bulge from it now"

Hi Mike
*waves at the felon*

[moe]

Here's how to clear your name in everyone's eyes: have the prosecutor pick a lie detector expert, have them give you the test, and then pass the test. That way no one can question the results. Otherwise, why don't you just shut the fuck up and move one?

[joanie]

Something about kicking a man when he's down . . . maybe time to stop.

Just a thought . . .

[Tommy008]

a caller suggested that and Webb said he "didn't have 500 dollars growing out of his ass" for a lie detector test.

[sparky]

If the IP address is wrong, why didnt he have his attorney find out who the IP address belongs to and then he would know who the supposed "hacker" is??

[Tommy008]

Webb claimed he would need a court order to find out who belonged to the mystery IP# and the police would never help him.

[sparky]

But that is the attorney's job..get a court order from a judge to get the name of the owner of the IP address...unless there is no "other" address to look up? Golly, dont they watch Law and Order?????!!!!!

[Tommy008]

Webb claimed his attorney didn't wwant to pursue the counterfeit ip address angle, because it would "confuse" jurors. Instead , Webb claims, he told Mike they should switch their defense to saying that Webb was trying to get payment from the other driver's insurance company, not Geico.

[Tommy008]

Webb and a caller into his internet show tonight spent time speculating that the famous "motormouth guy" with the strange, highpitched voice who used to call Webb's old KIRO show, or Happy from Bellevue could have been the mystery hacker, who sabotaged Webb's insurance purchase date.

[spambutcher]

I'm just glad it's all over.

It is over, right?

[David]

Mike Webb speaks:

http://mikewebbradio.blogspot.com/2007_01_28_mikewebbradio_archive.html

[sparky]

Happy from Bellevue called Bernie Ward last night...lied to the screener by saying he was from Coos Bay but Bernie figured it out and banned him from ever being on the show again...

[Mercifurious is Dead]

The best thing KIRO could do right now is to

HIRE MIKE WEBB

what a ratings bonanza that would be!

[sclub]

It's time again to beef up the security outside Eastlake Ave E. Bring back the overnight off-duty cop. Somebody alert the new owners.

[joanie]

Nothing sells like controversy! MID may have a point. Now really, Tommy, would he be better than Shiers?

Or how about the 1-4 slot? Of course, if they did that, MID would have to thank Blather for getting his gig back for him.

What better satisfaction for Michael?

[joanie]

Oh, and MID (aka Webb) - you'd owe Mercifurious a big sloppy kiss as well. Got it?

[sparky]

Bush Light Bulb Joke

Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; it's conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom?

[joanie]

Thanks, Sparky. I'm gonna pass that one along . . . still laughing.

[Martin R. Howell]

I look for Mr. Webb to return to KIRO soon. He deserves a break considering the all-too-unnecessary attempted character assassinations by the haters of this blog. Mike had the most entertaining and yet "punchy" show in this market. KIRO needs help. He deserves an apology. Both will return to the top together.

[sparky]

How many names will Mike Webb use on this blog?

[pugetsound]

at the risk of being labled mike webb, why not ease up on them hammers? the man is down. he'll have enough on his plate just getting his house in order. let him have a little breathing room and back on his feet. why so much animus toward mike webb anyway?

sheesh, even manson gets a shot at parole

(note to colitus: just being facetious there 'coiler' so don't go jumping to 'cornclusions' about the manson reference)

[coiler]

Are you his lover? I won't jump to anything, its ok with us.