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Stewart's Prison Crafts Debut On Christmas Show

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 26, 2007

The Christmas season brought Martha Stewart one fond memory of her stay in a West Virginia prison.

On the Christmas Day episode of her television show, Stewart showed off ornate clay forms of the baby Jesus, Joseph, Mary, three camels and others she sculpted at a pottery class at the Federal Prison Camp in Alderson, W.Va.

"Even though every inmate was only allowed to do one a month, and I was only there for five months, I begged because I said I was an expert potter - ceramicist actually - and could I please make the entire Nativity scene," she said.

Stewart was imprisoned in 2005 for lying about her sale of ImClone stock.

Legend Performs At Alma Mater

Grammy-winning R&B artist John Legend returned to his hometown to headline a small Christmas Eve benefit concert of local artists at his Springfield, Ohio, high school alma mater.

Legend, 28, performed in the "Coming Home Christmas Benefit Concert" along with R&B, gospel and rock talents, including the Springfield North and Springfield South high school choirs.

Proceeds from the concert, which was the brainchild of Legend's brother Vaughn Anthony Stephens, go to the Jason Collier Memorial Scholarship Fund. Collier, an NBA player and Springfield Catholic Central alum, was 28 when he died from a sudden heart rhythm disturbance in 2005.

Country Singer's Dad Cleared In Wreck

Toby Keith, his mother and his siblings have been awarded $2.8 million in damages in the 2001 collision that killed the country music star's father.

A jury in Oklahoma returned the verdict against Elias Rodriguez and Pedro Rodriguez, operators of Rodriguez Transportes of Tulsa, and Republic Western Insurance Co.

According to evidence presented at trial, a charter bus owned by the Rodriguezes was "in urgent need" of brake repairs before H.K. Covel was killed in the March 2001 accident on Interstate 35, said attorney Greg Dixon, who represented Keith's family. The Rodriguezes had been advised of the brake problem before Covel's truck crossed the center median and struck the bus, he said.

The verdict was returned last week.

Courtroom Camera Snap Lands Fan In Jail

A woman who snapped photos of R. Kelly in a Chicago courtroom with her cell phone has pleaded guilty to contempt of court after spending the weekend in jail.

Jean Johnson, 49, was sentenced to five days in jail after entering the plea Monday, but she was released after Judge Vincent Gaughan gave her credit for days she spent in custody. He also ordered her cell phone destroyed.

Describing herself as Kelly's "biggest fan," Johnson said she couldn't resist snapping four grainy pictures of the R&B superstar as he sat across from her last Thursday. She said she didn't realize cameras weren't allowed in courtrooms.

"I wanted it so that every time my phone rang, I could open it up, and he'd be right there," Johnson said.

Johnson had been in court to resolve a probation violation charge. Kelly faces child pornography charges.

Today's Birthdays

Actor Richard Widmark is 93. Rhythm-and-blues singer Abdul "Duke" Fakir is 72. Rock musician Lars Ulrich is 44. Rock musician Peter Klett is 38. Rock singer Chris Daughtry is 28. Actor Zach Mills is 12.

Source: The Associated Press

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