UPDATE ON MATT DEATHERAGE

[lunatic@netcom.com (Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex)]

     (This doesn't appear to have made it out the first time, so I'm
sending it again.)

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     |he following is an update from the friends of Matt
Deatherage.  The prinical authors are Eric Meuller and Dean
Esmay.
 
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UPDATE ON MATT DEATHERAGE
 
As you may have read in the initial document on Matt Deatherage (which we
distributed to all of the major online services and the Internet at the end of
April, 1994), he was incarcerated in March on three charges related to having
sex with a minor.  The original document goes into much greater detail about
the charges, Matt's plea of no contest on all counts, the D.A.'s version of
what happened, and Matt's version of what happened---including information
directly from Matt.  If you have not read that file yet, we urge you to examine
it closely so you can understand the entire situation.  (If you don't have a
copy, please send a request to dland@netcom.com and we'll email it back to
you.)
 
The original document refers to a deadline of April 28th for letters to be
received.  For various reasons, Matt's sentencing has been delayed until late
June.  As a result, the deadline for letters is now June 21st.
 
As we explained clearly and at length in the original document, we are urging
letters in support of Matt---NOT in support of his actions and what he did
(Matt himself does not support that and says now that he clearly made a
horrible mistake).  These letters are in support of Matt and who he is, and
should be written out of a desire to see a fair portrayal and treatment of
someone we know and respect as a part of our online community.
 
In a recent news story about Matt, the District Attorney responded to the
suggestion that Matt is not some kind of sexual predator by saying, "He's an
absolutely sex-craved maniac.  It seems that's the only thing he thinks about."
We find this amazing and ridiculous not only based on what we know of Matt, but
because the D.A. said this to the press in spite of never having spoken to
Matt, or to any of Matt's friends---in fact, Matt believes the D.A. has not
even spoken to the young man Matt had sex with!  The D.A. doesn't even KNOW
Matt!  Despite this, that has not stopped the D.A. from calling Matt a "maniac"
and _telling the press_ what Matt constantly thinks about.  We point this out
not only because it's inaccurate but also because we find it extremely
unethical for the D.A. to be speaking to the media about a man he knows
practically nothing about.
 
We are also concerned because extreme pressures from the media and the D.A.
have already had a strong influence on the case and they may influence the
judge.  The D.A. has made no effort to _ascertain the truth for himself!_
 
The point is that events are already occurring (such as Matt being fired from
Apple Computer) which have nothing to do with the case itself but rather
happened because of the media hype surrounding the D.A.'s fictious version of
the situation.  We emphasize that Matt is NOT a predator and as very close
friends of his for all of his professional life, we absoutely do not agree that
Matt is a "sex-craved maniac" or that it's "the only thing he thinks about."
We find these statements extremely offensive and as far from the truth as
possible.
 
Unless we write to the judge with our _true feelings_ about Matt and the
situation, the D.A. and the media's version of the story will be accepted as
truth.
 
It's occurred to us that some of you are thinking you have to write and say a
lot.  Or you're having second thoughts about what Matt's done and how you feel
about it.  But we'd like to encourage you to write anyway, because you _really_
don't have to say much.  You don't have to commit yourself to anything much
more than a paragraph or two saying who you are, how you know Matt, and how you
feel about the situation.
 
The letter should give your full name and address, and should say a bit about
yourself -- who are you, what you do, how old you are, and how you know Matt
(that's all very important).  It should also state that you are aware that he
is being sentenced on a number of felonies relating to sexual misconduct with a
minor.  And it should give your opinion of Matt Deatherage; essentially, how
you feel about him as an individual, and what you feel about the idea that he
is some sort of dangerous, malicious person given to preying upon young boys
sexually.
 
You might say other good things about him, such as that it's clear that he's a
knowledgeable, productive member of society.  (We've spoken to people at Apple
who work with Matt who wanted us to say he is well liked there and did good
work for the company.)  You could mention that the knowledge he gained through
his job allowed him to do many helpful things for people online in his spare
time.  You might mention that he's never seemed to you to be a disturbing sort
of person prone to talking about sexual matters with you online (i.e. he never
seemed sleazy or disgusting).
 
You might also want to keep in mind the following things when writing to the
judge:
 
 - Matt is extremely penitent.
 - He admits his crime and has done so from the start.  He has never
   attempted to lie about this thing.
 - It is his first crime.
 - We believe he will not repeat his crime; he's sworn that he will not.
 - Just by the news exposure he's getting, he's already begun to pay,
   and will almost certainly be paying for the rest of his life.  Matt
   has already lost his job and there are real concerns that he may never
   work at Apple Computer again if he goes to prison.
 - He'd likely be harmed in prison.  (Matt is a large man, but anyone who
   knows him personally knows that he is very unthreatening in personality
   and probably easy to victimize physically.)
 - Justice would probably be better served by work-release probation
   and some sort of treatment that would give him a chance to put his life
   back together after all of this.
 
What you write is up to you.  You should NOT send form letters or simply copy
and paste the things in this document.  Most important of all, you should not
make things up or say things that you couldn't possibly know about Matt.  Just
be honest and write what you feel, in your own words.  The judge isn't going to
check your spelling and grammar, he just needs to know how you feel.  ;-)
 
We must emphasize again that these are not letters asking you whether or not
you are "friends" with Matt.  The question is how ANY of you who have watched
or seen or encountered Matt, whose lives online have been affected by this man,
feel about what the prosecution is saying... and if you can somehow help him by
sending a letter.
 
Letters should be mailed as quickly as possible to:
 
  The Honorable Judge Charles Gordon
  Judge of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County
  c/o Dennis Lempert
  100 Saratoga Avenue
  Santa Clara, CA 95051-7305
 
It will help an individual who could use your letter more than anything else
right now, and it won't take much of your time.  Please take a minute to send a
letter on Matt's behalf.
 
Thank you.
 
Some of you have also written to us, asking how to write to Matt.  Matt has
asked that his mail address be publicized; he's lonely and would like to hear
from his friends.  Since the email connection in his jail cell isn't quite
working yet, you'll can send a note to:
 
 D.M. Deatherage
 P.O. Box 360910
 Milpitas, CA 95036-0910
 
On the front of the envelope, in the lower-left hand corner, you need to write
"Donald Matthew Deatherage #9411580".  Additionally, the envelope and the
letter you mail to him needs to have your name and address.  Please do not send
any staples or paperclips; they'll be removed before they get to him.  Other
restrictions on mail are as follows: no more than five photos (and the photos
can not be cut open or tampered with), no more than five newspaper or magazine
clippings, no blank stationery, envelopes, stamps, or cards, no violent,
racial, obscene, or gang-related material, no stickers, tape, paste or glue, or
surfaces covered with any of those objects (this includes labels, so your
envelope should have your return address hand-written), no "questionable
substances or stains" (don't ask us, we don't know), no oversized envelopes (no
larger than a standard large manila envelope), no laminated or glued-together
greeting cards, and no packages.
 
Thank you again for your time in reading this and please find in your heart to
send a letter.
 
Sincerely,
 
 Many friends of Matt
 (who may be reached at dland@netcom.com)
 
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-- 
    ______________________________________________________
   / -= Lunatic Johnathan Bruce E'Sex [Full, legal name] /   "Hellooooooo,
 _/      lunatic@netcom.com       GEnie: LUNATIC     (: /_      NURSE!!!"