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Pro Bodybuilder Craig Titus Request for Prison Sentence Reduction DENIED
[December 5th, 2008] by Millard Baker
Former IFBB pro bodybuilder Craig Titus pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Melissa James, a personal assistant to Titus and fitness pro Kelly Ryan. District Judge Jackie Glass sentenced Titus to 21 to 55 years in prison as part of the plea. Titus filed a motion to withdraw his plea and go to trial because he thought he was promised only 17 years in prison. Judge Glass denied the request leaving Titus in the Ely State maximum security prison in Nevada to serve his sentence (”Judge rejects Craig Titus’ request for sentence reduction,” December 4).
Titus’ attorney Marc Saggese claimed Glass told him Titus would be eligible for parole after serving 17 years. Saggese said Titus wouldn’t have agreed to plead guilty if he’d known he would be sentenced to 21 years. On Thursday, Saggese said he recommended Titus plead guilty to second-degree murder because he believed Glass agreed to sentence his client to 17 years.
“As an attorney and as someone who would give you advice in this situation, my recommendation is you accept the guilty plea as it is in relation to 17 years,” he said, summarizing what he told Titus at the time.
Saggese acknowledged that Glass didn’t guarantee that Titus would be sentenced to 17 years. Judges aren’t bound by plea agreements and can give whatever sentence they deem appropriate.
Steroid law reformers were concerned that the high profile murder case would demonize the use of anabolic steroids in bodybuilding either through sensationalistic media coverage or through a dumbbell defense blaming the commission of the crime on steroids. Fortunately, this did not materialize.
The Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan investigation was big news in the bodybuilding and fitness community due to their prominent and celebrity status in the sport.
Tags: bodybuilding, craig titus, kelly ryan, melissa james
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