WARNING - STAY OUT OF ST. AUGUSTINE!

WARNING - If you go to St. Augustine and are assaulted, robbed, abused or threatened by a St. Augustine resident or merchant you better not call the police. They will likely cite you and/or warn you against trespassing. If you push it you might be arrested.

Before going to St. Augustine, please read my statement below and refer to the previous blog post dated 7-2-09. (Note the photos at the end of the post. I will be updating them soon with new photos of my injuries)

Regarding the assault at 32 Spanish Street on 7-01-09:

I have read the complaint affidavit filed by Officer Davis of the SAPD and wish to add the following statement for clarification and to correct some false statements made by the perpetrator and his accomplices.

At the meeting were myself, my wife Patricia Pleasant, Ed Slavin, Jamin Rubenstein, Molly Hammond, Casey Leydon, Marsha McNabb (at her home) and Terry Buckenmeyer (who left before the end of the meeting and did not see what ensued). Also present, not participating was a young man who was unknown to us who apparently lived in the house in the front.

As stated in the original affidavit I had a polite disagreement with Mr. Leydon. Actually he had claimed (twice) to be able to lay a check for $500. on the table to cover our costs for printing the next issue of The Collective Press. Having heard this at a previous meeting, I asked Mr. Leydon to do it. He instead took a plastic card out of his wallet and threw it down on the table. I said that's not a check and, standing to leave I said to my wife, "I've heard enough of this, let"s go." I turned and walked toward the door. As my wife gathered her notes and a balloon she had been given by Mr. Slavin for her birthday, I opened the door and stepped out onto the stoop outside the door.

Mr. Leydon had rushed around my wife and slammed the door shut behind me yelling loudly, "Git the fuck out of my house!" The door opened and I turned, expecting my wife to join me and instead Mr. Leydon had gotten in front of her and stepped past her into the doorway. He immediately yelled again, "Git the fuck out of my house!" and struck me hard on the chest with both hands, pushing me forcefully backwards down the steps. I fell backwards, turning and falling over a large crockery plant pot that was on the stoop and I spun and landed on my right forearm, both knees and my chin on the brick walkway four steps below. My wife dashed past Mr. Leydon yelling, "What did you do? Why did you push him?" and she came to help me up. As she tried to look at my profusely bleeding injuries (see photos) I walked painfully to the street and called 911, asking for the police.

Before the police came I saw a neighbor from across the street come and speak to Mr. Leydon. I believe he also went inside and spoke to Marsha McNabb. This is the person who claims to have seen me going back up the steps and trying to get back in. This is a total lie and a fabrication. It is a conspiracy to give credence to Mr. Leydon's claim that I was the aggressor.

The lies are self evident. The person across the street could not possibly have seen the doorway or what happened there. It was 9:00PM and there was tree foliage and the corner of the front house obscuring any view from his vantage point.

Furthermore there was no noise or yelling until Mr. Leydon yelled at me and slammed the door. And of course my wife yelling, "What did you do? Why did you push him?" It was after that when the neighbor came to see what was happening. And then he spoke to my assailant only.

As to Mr. Leydon's claim that I resisted leaving, everyone present knows I was already leaving, anxious to be gone actually, and had no desire to go back in. I never did go down the steps and back up. Why would I? Also I am known to be polite at all times and while I am often confrontational, even with government officials and police when they act wrongly, I never use force. I have never been arrested nor even had a moving violation in over fifty years of driving.

My experience with the St. Augustine Police Department has been limited to one other time when I called to report an assault on me and my news gathering tool (Camcorder belonging to Fox News Jax) Officer Barry Fox had me write a long description of the assault and then issued a trespass warning against me banning me from ever walking on the sidewalk next to The Spanish Garden (a public walkway) and did not cite the merchant for the assault.

This seems to be a similar case of the police failing to act and hiding the misdeeds of a downtown merchant. (The assailant in this case, Mr. Leydon, is an artist with a studio in front of the house at 32 Spanish St.

There is ample evidence to refute the claims of Mr. Leydon, his girlfriend, Marsh McNabb and their neighbor, false witness Mr. Bucella. There are also witnesses who were inside the residence who, although reluctant to come forward because of the publicity involved, could be subpoenaed and presumably would not lie in court.

All of this matters because:

1. Assaulting a senior citizen is a serious felony in Florida. A person who would purposely, violently push a 68-year-old, known heart surgery survivor, down a flight of stairs onto the pavement below is a serious threat to others. He could go off on someone else and do even greater harm.

2. The pain of torn flesh, as visible in the photos. will be with me for months. Every time I rest my right arm on something or bend either knee, I am reminded painfully of this incident. All Mr. Leydon has to live with is his shame and I'm sure he is shameless. He does have a record of wrongdoing and criminal acts. (Google him)

2. The lies told by Mr. Leydon, his girlfriend Marsha McNabb and the neighbor are false statements in a police report. I believe they amount to conspiracy and collusion.

3. The failure of the police to arrest Mr. Leydon and lending credence to his lies in the police report, even supported by a false witness, is a grave injustice. Not only does Mr. Leydon get away with the assault but he is allowed to continue believing he is above the law. And others are endangered by his violent temper.

4. The SAPD can continue to settle disputes on the spot as they see fit, issuing conflicting reports and taking no action. It should be noted that Officer Davis was heard inside the residence trying to convince Mr. Leydon to file charges against me (his victim) which at that time Mr. Leydon declined to do. Apparently the officer later succeeded.

Now I am in a dilemma. I am afraid to go downtown lest I be again assaulted by Mr. Leydon for trying to get the truth out. The personal injury attornay I called said it's a criminal matter. The only criminal attorney I know said I must wait and sue for damages in a lawsuit. I cannot afford to hire an attorney.

I am a retired, 68-year-old heart patient being kept broke by pharmaceutical costs and medical expenses which are not fully covered by Medicare.

And I need help.

Thank you for reading this.

THE KING IS DEAD - LONG LIVE THE KING (Kinda)

The King Is Dead, Long Live The King (Kinda)

With the passing of Michael Jackson and his universal popularity, added to the many opportunities for various people to acquire some of his dna, body fluids or tissue, it is logical to assume that efforts are going forward to clone the pop idol. Perhaps multiple times.

Their work could determine the direction of the future of Pop Music. Maybe even of the human condition.

Imagine a song & dance routine by a group of identical MJs. HOW ABOUT A CHORAL GROUP OF IDENTICAL MJS? Can you see the video?

How about a Global Concert Webcast around the world with MJ clones performing kinda live in arenas all over the globe?

Imagine a population of forever young, always talented, rhythmic and collectively unique, adorable little MJs.

But now in this age of genetic engineering perhaps the cloners would want to tinker with MJ's genetic makeup. As nearly perfect as The King of Pop was, they might think of altering certain traits or emphasizing a particular feature. For example a whiter face on a blacker body? Maybe a smaller nose that he would be satisfied with. Perhaps larger sex organs.

What about neurological or mental factors? Could they perhaps preclude any tendency towards drug or pharmaceutical abuse? Maybe a strong heterosexual libido and a natural propensity to age in reverse like Benjamin Button.

I don't want to seem ghoulish but if I have any money left over after the ongoing financial revolution, I'm investing heavily in Michael Jackson Clones and maybe a little in Portuguese Water Dog puppies.

BREAING NEWS FLASH!!: IN A HASTILY CALLED PRESS CONFERENCE SARAH PALIN ANNOUNCED HER RESIGNATION AS ALASKA'S GOVERNOR on the eve of the three-day fourth of July holiday!!

FREAKING NEWS FLASHFORWARD: IN A HASTILY CALLED PRESS CONFERENCE SARAH PALIN ANNOUNCED SHE IS GOING INTO ISOLATION FOR SEVERAL MONTHS IN AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION.

FREAKING NEWS FLASHFORWARD 2: IN A HASTILY CALLED PRESS CONFERENCE SARAH PALIN ANNOUNCED SHE HAS VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE AS THE SURROGATE MOTHER FOR ONE OF "SEVERAL" MICHAEL JACKSON CLONES being carried (hopefull to term) by volunteers from all over the world. MORE SOON.

COMING NEXT: Are Farah and Michael dancing in Heaven? And is Ed McMahon slapping his knee and roariing with laughter?

Assault on jdp 7-1-09

Last evening, 7-1-09 my wife Pat and I went to a meeting of people interested in The Collective Press. This was the third such meeting we attended in the last three weeks and the second on held at 32 Spanish St. By 7:20 or so we had in attendance my wife Pat and I, Jamin, Ed, Molly, Casey, Marsha (who's home we were meeting in) a new guy friend of theirs we didn't know and Terry who stayed for the important stuff but left before the end of the meeting.We talked about organizing, proposed duties for various members, etc.

Casey spoke about advertising with some of the others adding their opinions about potential ads. Casey showed us his sketch for the David T. Queen cover story he was going to write and illustrate. He also mentioned the $500. he said he could come up with to cover the cost of next issue, including color. The meeting was winding down after about 2 hours so I stood up and said I'd heard enough and was leaving. Casey said he could throw $500. down on the table tonight for the next issue. He reiterated that he could write a check for it "tonight" and I, having heard this before said, "go ahead do it." He got out his wallet and threw down some kind of plastic card. I said, walking to the door, "That's not a check."

At this point Casey jumped up and yelled "Get out of my house!" which I gladly did as I opened the door and stepped out.

Casey then slammed the door shut behind me and I turned to wait on the stoop for my wife to come out.

Instead Casey yanked the door open and reached out with both hands hitting me on my chest and pushing me down the 4 steps onto the paved walk. Luckily I was able to turn and land on my knees and forearms. (see photos following) Otherwise I would have landed on the back of my head and probably would not have gotten up.

By now Pat came out the door yelling at Casey, "What did you do? Why did you push him?"

I had landed on a crock plant pot and broke it and smashed down hard onto the walk. I was bleeding from large lacerations and contusions on both legs, knees, entire right forearm and my chin. Pat helped me up and started checking my injuries. I stumbled to the street and called 911 on my cell phone. I asked for police and said I didn't want medical care as my wife, a nurse, was with me and we could clean up my wounds.

After several minutes Officer Andy Davis (badge #2706) arrived and took statements from Pat and I, then went inside to talk to the people in there.

At some time Officer Anthony Cuthbert arrived and asked a few more questions. He said that he was very familiar with me, "Mr. Pleasant" for the last 12 years. I asked him if he remembered when he and Barry Fox were sent to respond to my call (the only other time I've every called the SAPD in 22 years living here) because an enraged merchant had assaulted me and my video camera on the sidewalk north of the Spanish Garden at St. George & Hypolita as the city workers were closing it off to the public. I was documenting the occasion. Instead of citing the merchant for pushing my camera and it hitting my eye, the police made me write a lengthy statement describing the assault and then gave me a trespass warning forever forbidding me to set foot on that public walkway. The usual SAPD response to complaints against the merchant class. I think Officer Anthony remembered me pretty well. He also appears frequently in my video documentary, "St. Augustine Street Saga" about the banning of the artists and performers from St. George Street.

All of this only matters because last night they did about the same thing. They refused to arrest the assailant, Casey, saying they would file the report with the State's Attorney for any further action. Or not.

And so it stands. All my lacerations and contusions still hurt like hell. The one on my knee will be painful for 6 months or more. I'm on Coumadin so I bleed freely and heal slowly. I have requested the Incident Report from the police and will be posting it on my blog.

I'm still seeking a good personal injury attorney and I think I've found one. I hope to pursue damages for my pain and suffering, punitive damages for assaulting a Senior Citizen and more. The important thing, actually 2 things, about all this is that anyone who would push an aging peace freak survivor of open heart surgery down the steps onto hard pavement is a danger to society as a whole and needs at least to learn something about anger management. The other thing is the SAPD must learn not to choose which cases to act on based on their own prejudices and dislikes and stop always defending the actions of their downtown business click.

Incidentally I just learned that the 2 houses at 32 Spanish St. have been owned by Martha & Ronald Mickler since 1996. Those sound like deep pockets.

I hope someone is listening.

Thanks for your attention. The pictures follow:

Justice Clarence Thomas

Am I the only one who's not surprised that Clarence Thomas is the only Supreme Court Justice who thinks it's okay for school officials to search inside the underwear of middle school students. LMAO

Clarence you're still a lecher.

Plaza de La Constitucion Public or Private?

As the controversy over the Artists in St. Augustine's historic Plaza de La Constitucion rages on after an appeals court judge threw out the city's latest ben on art sales in the Plaza, a rich property owner and political power broker named Henry Whestone wrote an op-ed piece in the St. Augustine Raggard complaining about these no-rent merchants setting up in the Plaza that is surrounded by the Potemkin Village he and his associates have created.

I wrote a reasoned response to his letter and I am posting my response here:

Mr. Whetstone, you, your family and associates began back in the sixties a campaign or a conspiracy to construct a Potemkin Village out of a bunch of rundown tourist traps and convert and privatize downtown St. Augustine to a design of your own making. You all did commendable work in creating a very interesting tourist experience that was in fact educational even if somewhat pseudo-historic. So much so that I've heard every 4th grader in Florida is required to come to see the Fort and The Oldest City. The biggest mistake you folks made was creating your theme park in what was in fact public property. You succeeded in closing a public street to traffic but it still remains a public street in a city in The United States. Similarly the Plaza de La Constitucion is and has been from ancient times, a public place in a city in The United States. This fact confers certain rights on the citizens and certain responsibilities on the government to provide free and equal access to all citizens (even including alien visitors) as well as the constitutional rights of Free Speech, Freedom from government interference and the right to peaceably assemble. Those of you who richly benefit from the public support you receive in the form of advertising and marketing, the city's historical significance, the tolerance of a local populace who suffer much inconvenience and financial burden to allow your enterprises to thrive and prosper in our lovely little community and the natural resources with which St. Augustine is so richly endowed, should perhaps shut up, take the money and quietly thank the humble folk who support you. Have you no conscience? What of appreciation and where is the soul of charity?
J.D. Pleasant

Let me know what you think.

LEON RUSSELL CONCERT PHOTOS

A few pics from the Leon Russell Concert in St. Augustine on 4-4-09 to accompany the post below.

No Flash Photography

"No Flash Photography During the Concert" said the lovely lady on the stage. "Take all the pictures you want but no flash!" she elaborated. "Curses foiled again!" said I with my Canon XTi mounted on a flash bracket holding my new TTL strobe hanging from my neck.

As the sun set on Francis Field in St. Augustine and Leon Russell came out and took a seat at his keyboard I couldn't help but think that he could still pass for my brother with all that gray hair and wizened faces we'd both grown after all the years since I'd seen him last. Fortunately there was a very good spotlight shining on Leon and his keyboard. I was able to get a few decent shots with my long zoom lens and even tho I'll probly get sued and go to hell for it, I'm uploading a few here to see who notices.

More about this later but I have since paid just under $100. each for 2 tickets to see James Taylor at the St. Augustine Amphitheater and cameras of any kind were forbidden. I left mine at home yet there were many people shooting pics (probly bad) even using built in flash with their pocket digital cameras. My question is since when do Rock Stars not want to be photographed? They must not want publicity as badly as they used to.

Anyway I humbly submit the photos above for your enjoyment, hoping you remember the great Leon Russell.