Jeff Hardy Pleads Guilty & Is Sentenced

[Jack-Hammer]

It looks as though the neverending story of Jeff Hardy's legal woes may finally have been put to rest.

Hardy attented court today and entered a guilty plea on 3 felony drug charges:

* Two counts of intent to distribute a controlled substance.
* one count of conspiracy to traffic in a compound containing opium.

As a result, Hardy has been sentenced to 10 days in jail, must pay a $100,000 fine and will be on probation for 30 months. Violation of said parole will almost certainly result in Hardy being sent to jail for the rest of his sentence.

Hardy has also agreed to stay within a drug abuse treatment program. He also requested that he be allowed to leave the state in order to travel & work for TNA, which was granted.

 

[Alex]

I sure hope this knocks some sense into him, they've pretty much been very lenient with him and allowing him to try and sort himself out, hopefully he does, I mean he's got a kid and wife, that should be enough motivation to try and keep him on the straight and narrow.

 

[Bill.]

What is TNA going to do now? They were pretty much banking on a major Hardy return, right?

 

[Bill.]

I know there are some Jeff Hardy arrest topics, but this one is specifically asking what TNA does now. The title says it all. I'm mainly asking about Jeff Hardy, even though my former childhood hero Kurt Angle is a screw-up, too. So with TNA's Hardy return story in the trash, their supposed major storyline is gone. What do they do now? I mean, Hardy's return has already been taped for Impact Wrestling. Do they cut it out? Voice your opinions. Just try to include these things:

-What does TNA do now?

-Who is to blame for these bad happenings in TNA?(I have a feeling I know who....*cough* Hogan, Russo, Bischoff, Dixie...)

-What did you think/want TNA to do with the supposedly scrapped storyline?

-What should TNA do with Jeff Hardy now?

-Who should get that major push Jeff was going to get?



I won't answer all those questions, but I think TNA should return to what it was in 2008. I've said that before, & I just said it again. Sure, some of it was stupid, but it was likable stupidity, not this crap we're getting today, & no, I'm not a TNA hater(even though I'm a WWE guy). But that's just my opinion. Post away guys.



---Bill

 

[crippler]

What is TNA going to do now? They were pretty much banking on a major Hardy return, right?

its only for 10 days he will miss 1 show will not effect them much more than that unless he gets in trouble while under probation

 

[timdawg316]

10 Days. Really. Thats not justice. Thats a slap on the wrist for a celebrity. Any normal person would be doing years but because it's Jeff Hardy he gets off easy.The 30 month probation wont even matter if they don't catch him.

 

[crippler]

What is TNA going to do now? They were pretty much banking on a major Hardy return, right?

10 Days. Really. Thats not justice. Thats a slap on the wrist for a celebrity. Any normal person would be doing years but because it's Jeff Hardy he gets off easy.The 30 month probation wont even matter if they don't catch him.

yes jail time would be years for anyone else but the probation would be at least 2 years for anyone else as well

 

[JJYanks121]

-What does TNA do now?

Whether it's right or not, they are going to move forward. Hardy's only going to jail for 10 days. Like Cedric Benson in the NFL, he'll serve his time and be ready to go by the next tapings.

-Who is to blame for these bad happenings in TNA?(I have a feeling I know who....*cough* Hogan, Russo, Bischoff, Dixie...)

The talents themselves are responsible for their own actions. First and foremost, we must understand that ever human must take accountability for their own lives. That said, the fact that someone like Angle can get arrested twice in a year and still main event the biggest show of the year is telling that the rules might apply differently to different people. My feeling is that TNA is trying to do the right thing but they often sacrifice morals for money. This is a major problem in this world and they aren't the only company to do that though. Doesn't make it right, but they aren't alone.

-What did you think/want TNA to do with the supposedly scrapped storyline?

No idea. I don't know where they were going with it in the first place and until tonight, I still won't know. He'll be on BFG though and that's why he's coming back now. It's not about him "having enough time to have gotten well", it's about making money on their biggest show regardless of where Jeff is at in his personal life. Again, it's about money over morals and while I don't support this at all, this is a business decision the company is making to try and maximize their wrestlemania.

-What should TNA do with Jeff Hardy now?

What they should do and what they will do are two different things. What they should do is use him to put over a young heel at BFG and then give him time off to do some real rehab, not a court appointed outpatient care program. What they will do is have him beat someone like Bully Ray and quickly get back into the title picture by the end of the year. Hopefully, he won't screw up again because he's in the 5th inning of strikes at this point and I hate to say this but his next "screw up" could be fatal. The warning signs are there and I hope it doesn't happen, but he's gotta take this last chance seriously and he needs to take the outpatient stuff seriously.

-Who should get that major push Jeff was going to get?

There are plenty of guys I wouldn't mind seeing get pushed instead of Jeff or that can be pushed because Jeff is used to put them over. Matt Morgan is the obvious one. He's over as well, fans love him, and he's way overdue for a title run. Heel-wise, he should probably put over Bully Ray or something, but not many heels stand out as deserving of that push. There's Gunner but I don't think he's deserving yet, and really no one else on the heel side.

The bottom line is that for better or worse, Jeff is back as a last ditch effort to up the anty for Bound for Glory. Money over morals. I sincerely hope it doesn't backfire.

 

[UltimateHitman]

I have to say, Jeff Hardy is one lucky s.o.b. If he ends up screwing up his one trillionth and one chance, that should be the very last straw.

I still find it interesting that a convicted drug felon gets his job back, Angle gets caught every few months for DUI/DWI (not counting the one he's currently fighting), yet Matt gets fired immediately.

I don't think it matters whether Jeff and Kurt are bigger stars or not. I think that you set a horrible professional precedence when you play favorites and are not consistent. TNA needs to start becoming firmer on their stances, or this will just end up being WCW 2.0.

And yes, I agree that the sentence was bull$hit. It shouldn't matter if a person is a celebrity or not, it doesn't change the crime that was committed. A crime is a crime is a crime, and if you commit the same crimes, celebrity or average joe, you should be equal in terms of punishment.

The crime is the constant, and should be treated as such separate from the status of the individual committing it.

 

[Bigrog25]

I for one am glad he can put this behind him and hopefully move forward. I do think it's a good sign that he apologized to everyone seeing as how I don't think he's done that before, and that shows to me at least that he's owning up to his mistakes this time around.

@ bill, IW will do the same angle they've started with him already, he's only being locked up for 10 days, not 10 yrs, I don't understand why you think this screws up their plans... They haven't even decided when he will do the 10 days, he will only miss one taping tops, possibly not even that if he does his time on the weekends, how do you think that kills their plans?

 

[marker]

10 days it good for both hardy and tna. It probably won't affect tna plans at all as they tape 2-3 shows a week. So it can be assumed that they will pre-tape stuff with hardy if he was to miss something. The only think he can miss are live shows.

And I really hope this is the waking up for hardy and he will behave from now on. If he will be caught second time on drug charges it won't end with only 10 days of jail time.

 

[Pedigree1]

10 days in jail why such a harsh sentence??? I mean he got his court date postponed and postponed and postponed again!! Geez 100k thats like a dollar to us!! 30 months probation wow so 2 and a half years of probabtion and he can leave the state!! Geez he really got punished didnt he!! I could honestly care less about jeff hardy i mean the justice system is a complete and utter joke!! IF that was a normal person 20 years in prison plus 100k in fines!! But nope jeffs a celebrity so what does TNA gain by him!! Nothing did anyone really miss him at all?? I say give him the title hes earned you know!! I have said many times i dont think jeff should be allowed to wrestle again after the stunts he has pulled!! But its jeff hardy lets give him a 1000 chance

 

[Kenny Powers]

It took two years for Jeff Hardy to plead guilty, get a fine, a 10 day jail sentence, and 30 days probation? 3 felony drug charges would put a lesser known man in jail for decades. I just hope Jeff is as sincere as Eric Bischoff said he was in his recent interview. It seems Jeff has come back to work for TNA and has apologized to everyone for his actions. Hopefully he can be on the straight path from now on. Lets not kid ourselves though, if this was any midcarder in TNA or WWE they would be gone faster than Matt Hardy.

 

[x24hrs2livex]

I use to be a big Jeff Hardy fan before his first wellness violation with WWE. I dont remember the year but do remember him holding the IC title and being the clear favorite to win MITB at WM that year. Since then Jeff has slid further and further away from the wrestler that he should be.

On a side not I am a Maryland Correctional Officer and have teeny tiny bit of knowledge regarding the amount of time that people get for various crimes, and 3 felony drug charges is worth way more than 10 days in jail. Hell here in MD you might get 10yrs all suspended but 3 for a first offense but wouldnt expect much less than that.

On another side note IW/TNA could possibly be setting themselves up for a huge failure. I pray Jeff gets his shit straight but what if he doesnt? What if he catches another case and violates his probation? What petition the warden of Jeffs prison to do promos from prison? And what if the next time Angle gets arrested its for DWI/DUI and vehicular manslaughter? With all the money these guys make/have they should have somebody to take charges for them and or drive them around when they are shit faced.

What does TNA do now? I would make Jeff complete his rehab before allowing him back on tv.

-Who is to blame for these bad happenings in TNA?(I have a feeling I know who....*cough* Hogan, Russo, Bischoff, Dixie...) Panda Energy, they sign the checks

What did you think/want TNA to do with the supposedly scrapped storyline?Truthfully I couldnt care less. TNA is a sinking ship.

-What should TNA do with Jeff Hardy now? Nothing until he completes at least 6 months of rehab

-Who should get that major push Jeff was going to get? Robert Roode James Storm AJ or Matt Morgan

 

[Clare]

Now this is out of the way i really hope we can get too see the jeff hardy of 1998 to 2008 the best ten years of his carrier i really hope he dont team bk with matt
jeff hardy = forever the engima

 

[UFOcalling]

I know most people think that this is a light sentence, but it's really not. The 10 days in jail is a little lenient, but 30 months on probation is a looooong time (and I don't think everyone realizes what that really entails). Obviously 30 months is two and a half years, so Hardy won't be "free to party" (or do whatever he wants) until 2014.

If Hardy violates his probation, he will probably get a lot more time than 10 days in jail. I don't think most people realize that most probation officers require weekly drug-testing for people on probation, which means that Hardy will most likely be tested over 125 times over the course of his probation (not including the tests he will have to take for the out-patient program he will have to complete).

If Hardy screws up while on probation (drops a dirty urine sample, for example), he's basically fucked. I imagine that he'll have to do at least 30 extra days in jail, and possibly be ordered to go to an inpatient treatment center. I know this was a felony charge (and not a misdemeanor), but it seems rather harsh to keep him on probation for so long. I don't know what Hardy's prior convictions are, but if this is his "first offense" in North Carolina (at least legally) than this seems almost too extreme (no pun intended) to me. The judge knows that Hardy isn't a dealer, he's just a user. The problem with possessing such a large amount of drugs is that it carries the "intent to distribute" charge along with it (whether Hardy was going to sell them or not, I'm guessing "not").

I know others think that his "celebrity status" kept him out of trouble, but it seems to me that his status is the reason why he will have to stay on probation for so long. I also believe that the judge WILL throw the book at Hardy if he violates this loooooong probation sentence. Hardy may have "one more chance" with this judge, but not a second. I don't believe that the judge will be so lenient a second time...IE: If Jeff violates his probation (by dropping dirty, getting arrested again, or violating the terms of his probation in another fashion). I suppose that will depend on how lenient Hardy's probation officer is with him as well.

Again, I think the judge looked at this as a "possession" charge (as opposed to a "intent to distribute" charge, even though that was part of Hardy's offenses). Even though it still carries a felony conviction, the judge made a good call here (at least I think). Again, I don't know Hardy's prior criminal background. Was this his first offense, at least drug-related? Does anyone know? If it was, then it's a typical sentence for anyone (celebrity or not). Even a court-appointed attorney would have probably got the sentences reduced (like Hardy's lawyer did), and got him a shorter stint in jail. I don't believe Hardy got "special celebrity treatment" at all, even though most would disagree with me. I think those people who disagree just don't understand the court system. He pretty much got "the white court treatment", as opposed to "the black" or "the latino court treatment". That's all.

 

[Terry Gyimah]

This is Jeff's last chance, no more screw-ups, if he does, it is definite jail time for him

 

[Deus1138]

This is Jeff's last chance, no more screw-ups, if he does, it is definite jail time for him

Jeff's "last chance?" I thought that happened in WWE years ago! I remember him getting in the ring and almost crying, telling us how he had changed, blah blah blah... When was that, like 2006? 2007? I can't remember exactly, but it was many years ago, and Jeff continues to get himself in trouble over and over again.

Jeff isn't going to change. He's a dumb, white trash junky loser. He can't cut a promo to save his life. He's 50% mediocre gymnast, 50% mediocre stunt man. He couldn't make it either profession, so he took his mediocre skills as both to become a wrestler. If he wanted to quit being a junky, he could and would. He's had tons of opportunities to get clean. He didn't take those opportunities. Screw him, and screw TNA for enabling him. He's a bad example for the kids watching, and he's a bad rep for the company.

 

[Notorious718]

Jeff got off easy all things considered and he's extremely lucky he still has a job with TNA. Hopefully, (especially when you factor in his brother's recent release from the company) this will be the wake up call Jeff needs in order to get his life in order. For God's sake, he's a husband and a father. He can't afford to continue acting this way. If he doesn't screw up again and TNA plays its cards right, we could very well see Jeff turning his life around and turning this into a great comeback. But again, that's assuming Jeff doesn't screw up again. If he does, he WON'T get so lucky again.