Disgraced Jones seeks help from Bush

The Associated Press is reporting that former UNC track star Marion Jones has asked President George W. Bush to commute her six-month prison sentence. Jones received the jail time after lying to the feds about her steroid use and her involvement in a fraud scam.

Jones entered prison on March 7 to begin serving her sentence at a correctional facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Justice Department confirmed Monday that Jones is among hundreds of convicted felons who have applied for presidential pardons or sentence commutations, but would provide no further details. A pardon removes a conviction from someone’s record, while a commutation only reduces or eliminates the person’s sentence.

Such applications are reviewed by the Justice Department, which makes a recommendation to the president.