16 replies to this topic

[nnav2311]

SUBJECT; PLEA FOR HELP FROM THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

I am writing this on behalf of my brother. His screen name is Nil Failstorm. He owned the music venue The Haunted Castle. If you don’t already know, he was the Super Bowl Guy that was on the news. The media would have you believe he is some kind of domestic terrorist, who was running around shooting people and throwing pipe bombs at the Super Bowl. This could not be further from the truth.

He wrote and mailed some angry letters. The Tempe police said that it was within his first amendment rights and that he had broken no state laws. However, since the letters were mailed the FBI charged him with sending “threatening transmissions.” Basically, he has been found guilty of a thought crime.

He was found guilty on six counts of sending threatening transmissions; a FELONY WHICH CARRIES UP TO FIVE YEARS! One of these six counts was a letter sent to theshizz.org. another one of these six counts was a letter sent to azpunk.com.

He had at least 40-50 bands already booked to play, including several CD release shows and national acts. These letters explained that inspectors had been harassing the venue almost daily and the the City of Tempe and the State Liquor Board had just forced him to shut down permanently. A lot of people and bands had put a large amount of time and money into these shows but the governments didn’t care. He fought them every step of the way, but couldn’t stop them.

His internet had been turned off, so he was trying to get the word out and apologize to all the bands and people involved. He wrote two letters to his friends, telling them what happened and why their bands wouldn’t be able to play now, and the Feds say they were threatening transmissions.

Music is one of the few happiness’ he has in his life. He finally had the ability to share that, a place for others to perform their music; and the government took that from him. The city and state didn’t approve of this type of establishment so they forced him to close down, destroying his lifelong dream which had taken him five years to gather the funding. Instantaneously, he was financially ruined! He’s $250,000 in debt now and can no longer provide for his family. His home has been foreclosed on and they would repo his car if they could find it.

He has to file bankruptcy and will be paying back his loans for most of his life, and with the economy taking a dump, he only managed to recover about 5% of what he owes from the sale of the venue. That money is now being used to support his family while he is in prison.

The worse part is that despite the economy, the business was succeeding. The scene had come together to support the new venue and it was working. However, the closed minds of the governments destroyed the great thing the venue was becoming, what it stood for to so many people, and raining on the dreams of every musician. That is why he wrote those angry letters, which can send him to hard time in prison for up to five years.

He has his sentencing hearing on August 25th. The jury has already found him guilty of sending threatening transmissions. This hearing is when the judge determines his sentence.

I am asking if any of you could help my brother out by writing a character letter for him. This is to help the judge get a better picture of who the real person is through the eyes of family and friends.

It can be something simple, a few lines about his support and involvement in the local arts and music community, how he was trying to help others achieve their dreams, too, through a mutual love of music.

Please pass this on to anyone who might be willing to help.

Character letters can hopefully sway the judge not to give my brother the whole five years, so we need any support we can get for him.

Character letters can be emailed to his attorney at Jeffrey_Williams@FD.ORG. The attorney said he appreciates all the help he can get for my brother. Please put Subject Title: Kurt Havelock Character Letter.

Again thank you for any help you can give my brother to reduce his sentencing on August 25th. We need as many letters to reach the judge before that date.

[ShawnPhase]

hooo boy...

[fatguyaz]

i can almost hear the violins playing while i read that.

[Tony]

hunter, i assume you'll be writing one.

[mattm]

I honestly think I will write a nice letter.

I guess I just dont think that humanity is all-so innocent. we all have flaws. that is why they put erasers on pencils, right?

[Coward Crutch]

hooo boy...

[raubhimself]

hooo boy...

[hunter]

hooo boy...

[aaronburke]

nice, when i saw a mattm post i knew what his response was.

i will write one. the important thing is for your brother to get help.
hopefully a lighter or more psychiatric sentence can be imposed.

sent.

[ShawnPhase]

i would write one if i knew him personally. i have no doubt that he has done a lot for the local music scene. like aaron said, i think whats important is that he gets help first and foremost. i will definately say a prayer for him.

[Better Joe]

i would write one if i knew him personally. i have no doubt that he has done a lot for the local music scene. like aaron said, i think whats important is that he gets help first and foremost. i will definately say a prayer for him.

Because everyone knows praying is going to get the guy what he needs. Way to do your part.

[ShawnPhase]

i would write one if i knew him personally. i have no doubt that he has done a lot for the local music scene. like aaron said, i think whats important is that he gets help first and foremost. i will definately say a prayer for him.

Because everyone knows praying is going to get the guy what he needs. Way to do your part.

way to do my part? my part in what? apparently you didnt read what i wrote, hoser. i dont know the guy to vouch for his credibility either way. one thing i do know, is that you dont fuck with ball games. the guy needs psychological help above all else, regardless of what ANYBODY says. we know that. its a matter of convincing the legal system of that, and i cant accurately do that because i dont know his character or the details of what happened well enough one way or another to write something in his defense that would simply be convincing. what do you think im supposed to write? it'd look something like this:

dear arizona,

hi. im a user of the messageboard 'theshizz.org'. kurt has no doubt done his part in giving bands a place to perform and done what is right to help the community as a whole. i would like to ask for clemency on his behalf in favor of a more leniant penalty in which that he can receive the appropriate treatment for the issues that have caused him to misuse the us postal system. i feel he has received unfair legal, financial, and emotional treatment and in this day and age, with the penalties you are imposing on him can break a person more than they can help them. sincerely, shawn phase.

does that look good to you? because it looks like dogshit to me. much like your fuckin opinion regarding how much help i could afford the guy. i didnt do anything except to simply care and think the guy got a raw deal. your anger towards my spirituality is sickening...

[donald]

This is a sensitive subject for some people, so let's play nice.

Shawn, I understand your thinking and I don't think you need to send anything you don't want to. Praying shall suffice.

Nobody is obligated or should feel obligated to send anything they don't want to.

I am in agreement with Aaron as well.

will be sending shortly

[ShawnPhase]

i just wish that i could help more than simply that. he really did get a bad break. maybe i will write something a little more simple and read over it a few times and send it off. i know that when something like this happens that any little bit can help and i'd like to do that if i could.

[JAN HAVELOCK]

i just wish that i could help more than simply that. he really did get a bad break. maybe i will write something a little more simple and read over it a few times and send it off. i know that when something like this happens that any little bit can help and i'd like to do that if i could.

Did you ever write that letter his sentencing is Aug 25th? Only 2 people emailed letters to the public defender.

I just sent out a second plea to help Kurt. Only 2 people emailed to the public defender. He needs all the help he can get. thank you