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[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 next week!

[fatguyaz]

i hadn't heard about this at all.