US prosecutors drop case against Armstrong/USPS

[Altitude]

Money won.. Very sad day for any kind of integrity whatsoever. Going out, later.

Stay away from sharp objects tonight.

 

[scribe]

Let's look on the bright side here. Nowinsky took some nice vacations to Europe and had some serious job security during the roughest part of the great recession here in the US.

 

[veganrob]

Very sad day for cycling. It only shows crime can pay. How disappointing.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

(1) Is it a true acquittal or (2) was the case just abandoned?

If number 2 is true, i guess Armstrong had to pay like 1 mio to some kind of aid agency (hope some one from the jury speaks out about the case).

Ulle had to pay 250.000 € to have his case abandoned, but that wasn´t the end for him. So i think it´s still hope out there that WADA continues to investigate Armstrong...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Let's look on the bright side here. Nowinsky took some nice vacations to Europe and had some serious job security during the roughest part of the great recession here in the US.

Jeff was going to get paid either way - but your right that there is a bright side to Jeffs vacation in Europe, remember who was with him:

The AP reports that an American delegation including Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigator Jeff Novitzky, federal prosecutor Doug Miller and US Antidoping Agency CEO Travis Tygart is said to be in France.

 

[scribe]

Maybe money won. Or maybe, just maybe...crazy, I know...There was not enough evidence to convince a grand jury that anyone violated any US federal laws?

Nah, couldn't be that.

Maybe money DID win.

The best Nowinsky could have hoped for is to have caught LA in a lie, in hopes of putting him in for some jail time like Barry Bonds.

A total waste of money.

 

[mewmewmew13]

(1) Is it a true acquittal or (2) was the case just abandoned?

If number 2 is true, i guess Armstrong had to pay like 1 mio to some kind of aid agency (hope some one from the jury speaks out about the case).

Ulle had to pay 250.000 € to have his case abandoned, but that wasn´t the end for him. So i think it´s still hope out there that WADA continues to investigate Armstrong...

I hope someone close to this can speak out.

 

[Ferminal]

Use this thread for now. Does someone have a collection of all the links related to today's developments (is it any more than the AP article and USADA statement?), I'll update the first post.

 

[JRTinMA]

I picked a bad month to quit trolling Internet sites. Well let's see if any of the regulars come forward like they said they would when i predicted this so many times. As I said from day 1, rich people don't do time. All you people saving a fine bottle to celebrate his indictment, this might be a good time to open them up. Just another day for me.

 

[offbyone]

By the way, to the folks who claim money won, I would point out that at this point in the case, the US govt most likely spent more than lance. If the case reached trial or at least past the investigation phase then undoubtedly the armstrong would probably have the opportunity to start throwing dollars at it. Money didn't win this case. Lack of money may have won in the sense that the govt cut its losses before it dug up the evidence it needed.

 

[veganrob]

(1) Is it a true acquittal or (2) was the case just abandoned?

If number 2 is true, i guess Armstrong had to pay like 1 mio to some kind of aid agency (hope some one from the jury speaks out about the case).

Ulle had to pay 250.000 € to have his case abandoned, but that wasn´t the end for him. So i think it´s still hope out there that WADA continues to investigate Armstrong...

From what I heard on NPR it was not an acquittal but the case was dropped because the Feds didn't think they could win.

 

[The Gnome]

This is great news...getting away with it makes armstrong all set to run for governor of texas...

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Use this thread for now. Does someone have a collection of all the links related to today's developments (is it any more than the AP article and USADA statement?), I'll update the first post.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CYC_DOPING_ARMSTRONG?SITE=TNMEM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
http://www.usada.org/media/statement232012
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...Lance-ArmstrongUSPS-doping-investigation.aspx
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...al-investigation-into-doping-allegations.aspx

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

I hope someone close to this can speak out.

If there was just one guy like me in the GJ, then somebody will talk (i´d do it for free). This can not be the end. At least some big shadow over Armstrong must stay forever!

 

[Berzin]

Time for us haters to eat crow.

I admit defeat. My time here in the Clinic has been for naught.

I hang my head in shame, and must give Polish and the others props for their take on the situation.

The only way this could get worse is if the Giants lose on Sunday and Contador gets banned, including past winnings stripped.

That will be the trifecta to end all miserable trifectas.

 

[Velodude]

As far as Im concerned this is the end of the Lance Armstrong story. No way in hell USADA will do anything, Lance gets to maintain plausible deniability (just!) to his fanboys and sell them wrist bands. His legacy remains intact and we are denied justice.

I'd be really interested to hear the Feds reason for dropping the case, surely there's a **** load of evidence to nail him?

Travis Tygart of USADA was in the loop as far as evidence obtained by the Feds relating to team doping (he traveled to Europe with Novitsky).

There would be evidence for a non analytical positive for 2002-2004 from Team witnesses (Landis, Hamilton & Hincapie et al). 2002 is the commencement of the 8 year period UCI SOL period.

USADA has less obstacles to prove a non analytical positive than the legal complexities confronting a politically accountable DoJ.

Obviously pressure was exerted to drop the case. This will become known through either official DoJ channels or leaked by disgruntled underlings.

It was "Deep Throat", learned after 30 years to be a high placed FBI informant, who leaked to the Washington Post attempts to cover up the Watergate break-in which led deep into the Justice Department, the FBI, the CIA, and the White House. We will in time learn why the DoJ dropped the case.

I would doubt if LA would be crowing yet like his fanboys on this thread.

 

[Race Radio]

From what I heard on NPR it was not an acquittal but the case was dropped because the Feds didn't think they could win.

True, the Grand Jury did not rule and as much as people like to say Novitzky is all powerfull he had no input. This came from the top

 

[ChrisE]

From what I heard on NPR it was not an acquittal but the case was dropped because the Feds didn't think they could win.

Bingo.

Some smart guy wrote about an hour ago:

I think the feds started to realize what I have been saying all along....pretty hard to piece all of this together to successfully prosecute somebody like LA.

We drink less tonight if we think LA bought somebody off. The haters must be running low on drinking funds.

 

[ChrisE]

Time for us haters to eat crow.

I admit defeat. My time here in the Clinic has been for naught.

I hang my head in shame, and must give Polish and the others props for their take on the situation.

The only way this could get worse is if the Giants lose on Sunday and Contador gets banned, including past winnings stripped.

That will be the trifecta to end all miserable trifectas.

No. I think you are good. Giants FTW, and AC will skate. Bet on it.

 

[Wallace]

Time for us haters to eat crow.

I admit defeat. My time here in the Clinic has been for naught.

I hang my head in shame, and must give Polish and the others props for their take on the situation.

The only way this could get worse is if the Giants lose on Sunday and Contador gets banned, including past winnings stripped.

That will be the trifecta to end all miserable trifectas.

Yep. Time for all us haters to nut-up, admit Lance, "The Greatest Tour Champion Ever" Armstrong got away with it, won this one too, and move on.

 

[scribe]

As long as LA draws breath, there is still hope for a disgraceful conviction of some kind.

Full speed ahead boys.

 

[JRTinMA]

Time for us haters to eat crow.

I admit defeat. My time here in the Clinic has been for naught.

I hang my head in shame, and must give Polish and the others props for their take on the situation.

The only way this could get worse is if the Giants lose on Sunday and Contador gets banned, including past winnings stripped.

That will be the trifecta to end all miserable trifectas.

Thanks for manning up, bad news though, Patriots are going to deliver some more on Sunday.

 

[Mambo95]

Well I popped into the Armstrong threads once in a while.

My opinion was that he had doped but this investigation would eventually go nowhere. This was based on a generally dispassionate view and actual experience of the dealings of the law.

I was abused by the 'sect'. Turns out I was right. Because I know what I'm talking about.

So up yours those who called me a fanboy dreamer (Dr M especially) and Race Radio who has now been exposed as a forum pleasing chancer and not the insider he's claimed to be.

Armstrong doped. But the attitude of the obsessives has been appalling, and I'm glad that they are disappointed.

 

[scribe]

No. I think you are good. Giants FTW, and AC will skate. Bet on it.

I'd say the longer the Contador thing wears on, the more likely he skates.

Ah, well.

Back to fandom retirement for me.

 

[JRTinMA]

True, the Grand Jury did not rule and as much as people like to say Novitzky is all powerfull he had no input. This came from the top

Money and power may have ended this thing but Novitsky's pathetic conviction rate certainly didn't help.