Stephanie testifies today

[Benotti69]

I've been wondering that to my twitter followers. I figured it would be to protect her, as Lance and Oakley have (hopefully) no idea what's being said. She could have spilled her guts for seven hours, and then let her lawyer lie to the press as a smoke screen.

I guess we'll find out some day?

yeah. i imagine we will via some answering machine, but i still think that both scenarios are very possible that she continued to lie being totally involved in the world of sports and therefore protecting that or she unburdened herself but her lawyer would not say to protect her and give her space to change her life, whatever that may be, because if she went against the omerta she might be left outside. An interesting aside that LA won't speak to PhinneyJr after he signed for BMC so maybe McIlvain will give the LA club the same treatment and leave them wondering...

 

[theswordsman]

I aint familier with Grand Jury proceadings but 7 hours seams an awfull long time to stonewall with answers of " i dont recall", " I cant remember", " I didnt mean it" , " I was just gossiping" etc, etc.
If she took that route surely her testamony would be over within a couple of hours?
Seems to me theres a very real possibility she testified truthfully and that the lawyers are using the stage to to pass the messege to others that she did nothing more than confirm her previous public position as a calculated atempt to encourage others who may yet testify to tow the Lance party line.
If, and I supect its likely, she was granted emunity , it plays to her advantage to publicly keep up the appearance that her version of events hasnt changed and await the culmination of this enquiry.
However that assumes theres no big skeletons in the cuboard re Oakly`s business involvement which frankly I have no idea about and have seen no sugestion there might be ....accept possibly helping fund the cover up?
Any thoughts swordsman?

I don't even watch Law & Order, so I can't guess what might go on inside a grand jury I don't know about an immunity deal, because they had to subpoena her just to get her to talk to them. They had tons of information ahead of time, with lawsuit transcripts and tape recordings, so you wouldn't think it would be that much of a fishing expedition. I guess you could keep the questioning going for a long time hoping she'll break near the end.

That's two of you now that think she might have told what we believe is true, and the lawyer's spin is to influence future witnesses. There'd be no reason for her and the lawyer to play that game on their own, unless they really like messing with people's heads. And I'd hate to think that a serious Federal investigation would convince a lawyer to lie to the press so that other key witnesses might feel more comfortable lying to the grand jury.

If she told what I believe is the truth, and her lawyer knowingly lied about the testimony, I'd have to think the motivation would be her protection, from her employer and all of Armstrong's resources.

That's just my opinion, though. But she could have played a very dangerous game yesterday, in terms of perjury.

 

[Benotti69]

I don't even watch Law & Order, so I can't guess what might go on inside a grand jury I don't know about an immunity deal, because they had to subpoena her just to get her to talk to them. They had tons of information ahead of time, with lawsuit transcripts and tape recordings, so you wouldn't think it would be that much of a fishing expedition. I guess you could keep the questioning going for a long time hoping she'll break near the end.

That's two of you now that think she might have told what we believe is true, and the lawyer's spin is to influence future witnesses. There'd be no reason for her and the lawyer to play that game on their own, unless they really like messing with people's heads. And I'd hate to think that a serious Federal investigation would convince a lawyer to lie to the press so that other key witnesses might feel more comfortable lying to the grand jury.

If she told what I believe is the truth, and her lawyer knowingly lied about the testimony, I'd have to think the motivation would be her protection, from her employer and all of Armstrong's resources.

That's just my opinion, though. But she could have played a very dangerous game yesterday, in terms of perjury.

well if she is playing the dangerous game, the stuff about her autistic son doesn't add up, i.e. she is prepared to risk going to jail and not be there for him? she should also realise that if she sided with the omerta, if it crashes and burns she'll go down in flames too with everyone trying to save their own a$$.

I imagine that the Feds don't care what lawyers say to the media and the lawyer would not be instructed to say anything or not or even involved at this stage of the process, i presume....

 

[Darryl Webster]

Given what apears her fragile mental state publicly towing the Lance party line would seem a plausable tactic.
That said, at this stage , and the seriousness of the investigation, would Lance`s party take any risks leaning on people?.
That said, Armstrong does have a reputation for geting others to sling the brick bats and thus put that degree of protective seperation in place.
Which takes me back to a thought regards taking the team out to lap dance clubs etc...sexual "missconduct" is a well trod path in ensnaring people in webs of desciet...been the MO of many secretive set ups for decades and most likely centuries.

 

[Anonymous]

If what is being reported is true, and she went down the road of denial and passed off the phone conversations as gossip i think she could be screwed.
Why would you gossip about your boss calling him a a liar, saying you know stuff, apologising for lying in your testimony if it wasnt true.. sounds preposterous;.

 

[sherer]

if it's true that she backed up earlier claims then what dies this mean for all the others involved. Will Big George and all the others stick to the same party line too ?

 

[Berzin]

If what is being reported is true, and she went down the road of denial and passed off the phone conversations as gossip i think she could be screwed.
Why would you gossip about your boss calling him a a liar, saying you know stuff, apologizing for lying in your testimony if it wasn't true.. sounds preposterous.

Well, I think everyone was wrong about this woman.

I'm not casting aspersions, but I must say I've not agreed with the way she's been portrayed. The hapless single mom with the sick child struggling mightily to keep food on the table, having to sell her soul to the Devil just to keep her job at Oakley-too convenient a portrayal if you ask me, especially since she actually had a physical relationship with Armstrong and also married very well into the company.

Even if McIlvain got fired for whatever reason she was never going to be destitute. By the predatory manner in which she went about conducting her personal relationships, she seems to be quite an opportunist herself.

I believe the people involved in this whole mess have a lot more in common with Armstrong than we would care to admit. I believe these are a group of people who have no qualms about compromising whatever morals and integrity they may have had to attain success and keep it. And lying to anyone, whether it be the Feds or not, is just par for the course. Like the a-holes who ran Enron into the ground-the bottom line for those jackals was success, money and power. Nothing else mattered.

I believe these are people who, in their dealings with Armstrong, identified with him more than we care to admit. I no longer believe it's Armstrong applying pressure on people to lie. I think now they will lie and protect Lance because they are just like him.

In other words, they may not be a bunch of scared deer facing the headlights of oncoming traffic, scared to death to go up against the mighty Armstrong. Maybe they are just like him and just have no problems lying, which is what made it easy to associate with him in the first place.

 

[Ney the Viking]

Maybe it's all part of her immunity deal, she lies to the press et.al. letting george and lance etc. go the same route as sherer suggested, thus commiting themselves to some sort of purjury!
I love conspiracytheories, and I really really look forward to how this ends.

 

[python]

something is telling me novi is not done with mcilvain. that 7h session looks awfully uncompleted to me. either a perjury charge is going to be leveled pretty soon, or she will feed other leads novi is going after.

i see her back in the court room pretty soon.

 

[Berzin]

I believe after 7 hours of testimony, she's done with this mess. This really did not turn out the way many of us expected.

Victory for Armstrong. Expect others to follow the same MO as McIlvain. It's a sad day to be a hater right now, so excuse me gentleman while I go do something else for the next few days.

Someone please send me a pm if anything changes.

 

[Benotti69]

I believe after 7 hours of testimony, she's done with this mess.

Victory for Armstrong. Expect others to take the same track.

don't know how you worked that out since you weren't in there...

 

[tubularglue]

"i am a liar and the hope someone will cave your head in with a bat" recorded,

and Lemond's sleazeball recording of admissions



unwound like a hank of yarn - for 7hrs.

i doubt she could of dug her hole much deeper or chose to

her husband would be called in also, no ?

just speculating

 

[thehog]

it is possible that McIlvain told the truth but who would know apart from McIlvain, Feds, Grand Jury and Novitsky, but the PR spin is for others who maybe thinking of doing the same?

Yes.

"Bienert acknowledged he was not allowed in the grand jury room during the questioning but offered what he said were McIlvain's recollections of the session."

 

[NashbarShorts]

..if she did lie then she's just becoming another victim of what is becoming the Armstrong curse.

Screw that, she's no victim. Swore to tell the truth, then lied.

Lock the biatch up. Yellow bracelet and prison blues.

 

[Berzin]

don't know how you worked that out since you weren't in there...

I came to my conclusion after the few details that we have had been confirmed. From those details it doesn't look good for truth, justice and the American way.

But if you know something we don't, feel free to comment instead of rolling your eyes.

 

[Darryl Webster]

I came to my conclusion after the few details that we have had been confirmed. From those details it doesn't look good for truth, justice and the American way.

QUOTE]

Since when that been the "American way"?...it aint even the UK way, the Italian way, The German or French way...or any other countries way if your in the highest echelons of business, politics , church or media.
Sure , we get the odd sacrifice to keep up the illusion but thats all we ever get.

 

[theswordsman]

Cliff Notes version for the latecomers, with links. The quotes are from McIlvain's attorney. Longer quotes pages ago in this thread, or at the sticky.

she never heard the cyclist admit he used performance-enhancing drugs.

told jurors she never felt pressured by either Armstrong or anyone connected to cyclist to lie.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDFVG1

"Any comments she made suggesting the contrary were simply gossip, speculation and opinion with people she thought were her friends, like Betsy Andreu," Bienert said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDSIG0

spent more than seven hours before the grand jury panel

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lance-armstrong-20100923,0,2785856.story

 

[Benotti69]

I came to my conclusion after the few details that we have had been confirmed. From those details it doesn't look good for truth, justice and the American way.

But if you know something we don't, feel free to comment instead of rolling your eyes.

Details;

1. McIlvain lawyer(liar) makes a statement.

2. 7 hours in front of the grand jury.

the 2 details contradict themselves. Which one do you believe?

 

[davestoller]

Told of Bienert's comments about the content of the recordings being "gossip," Andreu said, "The weight of the evidence will show she's lying." Andreu did not elaborate.

I dont know if this has been said, but ALL GRAND JURY TESTIMONY is secret and privileged and anyone leaking it can be subject to federal prosecution, so not only should it not be reported, but the folks under subpoena are not supposed to talk about their testimony.
Right?

 

[theswordsman]

I dont know if this has been said, but ALL GRAND JURY TESTIMONY is secret and privileged and anyone leaking it can be subject to federal prosecution, so not only should it not be reported, but the folks under subpoena are not supposed to talk about their testimony.
Right?

McIlvain had the right to have her attorney outside and to go visit him for advice. She could also speak to him afterward. Now that you mention it, those are the first things leaked from the grand jury, unless, like some of us are considering, he made it up?

If you mean Betsy, she spoke with Novitsky but not the grand jury, as far as I know.

Edit: Thinking over what davestoller said has me thinking. Is it more likely that the lawyer knowingly broke the rules by leaking testimony, or that he lied to the press to protect his client (like Lance's crack team does). Nice one, Dave

 

[Escarabajo]

...

If she told what I believe is the truth, and her lawyer knowingly lied about the testimony, I'd have to think the motivation would be her protection, from her employer and all of Armstrong's resources.

That's just my opinion, though. But she could have played a very dangerous game yesterday, in terms of perjury.

Isn't that what Barry Bonds did? If I remember correctly he told the truth to the Grand Jury and then lied to the media. Is that correct?

Maybe we are seeing something similar. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Darryl Webster]

Edit: Thinking over what davestoller said has me thinking. Is it more likely that the lawyer knowingly broke the rules by leaking testimony, or that he lied to the press to protect his client (like Lance's crack team does). Nice one, Dave

Absalutly!...Im certain the truth is nothing said in the testimony is in the public domian and all were geting is lawyer spin.

Put it this way...Lance`s teams job is to put a possitive spin on anything and everything, paint all accusations as fantasy and hope that its those headlines that make the press.
The Jury may be told to ignore all media comments but I think we all know, short of being kept in a locked room, thats virtualy impossible to ensure.
What is also certain is no defense lawyer is going to introduce any doupt into the public domain.
Eveything will ultimatly depend on solid evidence....my hunch is that exists.
Nope...we know it exists ..in them there frozen samples.
And very likely in forensic examinations of various accounts.

 

[Benotti69]

McIlvain had the right to have her attorney outside and to go visit him for advice. She could also speak to him afterward. Now that you mention it, those are the first things leaked from the grand jury, unless, like some of us are considering, he made it up?

If you mean Betsy, she spoke with Novitsky but not the grand jury, as far as I know.

Edit: Thinking over what davestoller said has me thinking. Is it more likely that the lawyer knowingly broke the rules by leaking testimony, or that he lied to the press to protect his client (like Lance's crack team does). Nice one, Dave

i am guessing they (teamLieStrong), of which i consider McIlvain still a part of for now till we know different, will keep feeding the story that they always fed. They have no option. so to me Bienart is lieing like all good lawyers

edited as corrected in relation to speaking about one's GJT by RaceRadio

 

[Race Radio]

I dont know if this has been said, but ALL GRAND JURY TESTIMONY is secret and privileged and anyone leaking it can be subject to federal prosecution, so not only should it not be reported, but the folks under subpoena are not supposed to talk about their testimony.
Right?

Wrong. The witness is allowed to discuss their testimony. It is certainly possible that Stephanie did what Tim Montgomery did. he told the truth on the stand but lied to the media.

http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-06-24/news/17429518_1_grand-jury-victor-conte-montgomery-s-testimony

 

[thehog]

Wrong. The witness is allowed to discuss their testimony. It is certainly possible that Stephanie did what Tim Montgomery did. he told the truth on the stand but lied to the media.

http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-06-24/news/17429518_1_grand-jury-victor-conte-montgomery-s-testimony

I would agree. You’re hardly going to issue you a statement any other way especially if you’ve struck a deal for your own protection. In addition I don’t think she’s ever seen Armstrong actually dope so she’s been truthful in that respect. But she knows. 7 hours is the maximum that someone can be questioned. I expect more to follow.