‘Anand Jon is a victim of racism, jealousy’
Arun Ram
CHENNAI: Anand Jon (32), the India-born fashion designer in the US, has been in a jail in Los Angeles for more than six months, facing charges of rape and molestation from several girls he worked with. Even as a US court has set a bail amount of $2.1 million, Jon’s mother Shashi Abraham, in a telephonic interview from LA, tells DNA that her son is a victim of racism and professional jealousy and that India government should step in. Excerpts:
How did Jon land in this soup?
There is a conspiracy by his business partners and wannabe models who are not cut out for the job. Anand Jon found success in the fashion industry where even Americans find it difficult to succeed. His brand name was evaluated by a Wall Street investment firm, which invested seed capital into the company and was in the process of putting together the private placement memorandum. They timed it well.
How can it be a conspiracy when more than 25 girls have charged him with rape and molestation?
Their case is based on volume. Any of these, if taken individually, would not have held merit. Some of the counts are as frivolous as “his left hand brushed against my right breast while helping me try on a dress.” He is in an industry were there is a lot of nudity and constant interaction with women. It is not rare that designers touch models when they dress them, adjusting clothes, fixing minor corrections.
There are also charges that Jon pushed alcohol on the girls…
That doesn’t hold water since he never drinks, smokes or do drugs. This is a known fact in the industry. Many of these girls were obsessed with Jon. Many of the complaints are from the same girls from different jurisdictions. Why would anyone follow their alleged assaulter to other cities and other states sometimes for many months? This is a (case of a) brown boy against more than two dozen white girls…
You mean he is a victim of racism, too?
Of course, there were many racial slurs.
What is Jon’s defence?
Where is the chance to defend? In each place they have pulled grand jury. In a grand jury, there is no defence position; only the prosecution side is shown. Criminal lawyers say ‘a grand jury can indict even a ham sandwich.’
There were reports that you were using your proximity to Indian minister for NRI affairs Vayalar Ravi to bail out Jon…
Ravi is an old friend, but I approached him as a minister, not as a friend. I had great difficulty explaining things to him. He has just asked the Indian embassy to look into the case and has not gone out of way to do anything.
What do you expect from the Indian authorities?
When he was arrested, the US government did not even inform the Indian embassy. Jon has to get bail to come out and defend himself. He is an Indian citizen. Our government should to appeal for his release.
(from DNA)
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Fashion designer's kin fire back at rape accusers
Anand Jon, the Long Island fashion designer who was called a person to watch in Newsweek's "Who's Next 2007" issue last year, has become famous for all the wrong reasons since that electrifying prediction.
Jon's supporters, who last week got their first glimpse of many of the case's details when new court papers were released in California, have come back swinging. They say many of the women who are accusing Jon, 33, took pains to remain in his company even after the alleged attacks - dining with him, modeling for him, even traveling from state to state by his side.
"We are just confused," said Jon's sister Sanjana Jon, who lived with her brother before his arrest and is one of his closest confidantes. "Why would you keep following the person around if you are being violated by him?"
Spokeswomen for the Manhattan and Los Angeles district attorney's offices would not comment on the details of the case, or on Jon's relationship to his accusers.
Jon, has dressed VIPs from rock star Prince to Prince Michel of Yugoslavia.
Most of the women were not professional models, but aspiring ones, Sanjana Jon said. All hoped to be discovered, she said. Sanjana Jon said one paid her own way to travel with Jon after she said she was attacked, and another tried on clothes at his Manhattan apartment.
"They're relying on the quantity of witnesses, not the quality of evidence," said William Petrillo of Rockville Centre, Jon's New York attorney. "That's the exact opposite of what the judge will instruct a jury to do."
അറസ്റ്റിലായ അമേരിക്കന്‍ മലയാളി ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ നീ‍തി തേടുന്നു
അമേരിക്കയില്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞ ആറ് മാസമായി വിചാരണ തടവില്‍ ജാമ്യം നിഷേധിക്കപ്പെട്ട് കഴിയുന്ന മലയാളി ഫാഷന്‍ ഡിസൈനര്‍ ആനന്ദ് ജോണിനെതിരേയുള്ള നീതിനിഷേധം തുടരുന്നു. ആനന്ദ് ജോണിന്റെ കാര്യത്തില്‍ നടക്കുന്ന നഗ്നമായ മനുഷ്യാവകാശലംഘനം അമേരിക്കന്‍ നീതിന്യായ വ്യവസ്ഥയ്ക്കാകെ അപമാനമാണ്‍.
അമേരിക്കന്‍ മലയാളി സംഘടനകളും മറ്റും ഈ വിഷയത്തില്‍ മൌനം പാലിക്കുകയാണെന്നത് ദുരൂഹതയുണര്‍ത്തുന്നു.
ലോകം പ്രതീക്ഷയോടെ ഉറ്റു നോക്കിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്ന യുവ ഫാഷന്‍ ഡിസൈനറായിരുന്ന ആനന്ദ് ജോണിനെതിരെ വളരെ ആസൂത്രിതമായാണ് കേസുകളുടെ ഒരു ഘോഷയാത്ര അരങ്ങേറിയത്. 40 ഓളം കുറ്റാരോപണങ്ങള്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിനെതിരേ ആരോപിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുകയാണ്‍. ഇന്റര്‍നെറ്റില്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിനെതിരേ കള്ളക്കഥകളുടെ ഒഴുക്ക് തുടരുകയാണ്‍. സ്വന്തം ഡിസൈനര്‍ ജീന്സ് ബ്രാന്ഡ് ലോഞ്ച് ചെയ്യാന്‍ ദിവസങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രം ബാക്കി നില്‍ക്കെയാണ്‍ അദ്ദേഹം അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്യപ്പെട്ടത്. റിപ്പബ്ലിക്കന്‍ നേതാവായിരുന്ന റൂഡി ഗിയുലേനി, മിഡില്‍ ഈസ്റ്റേണ്‍ റോയല്‍റ്റി, ഡോണാള്‍ഡ് ട്രം‌പ്, പാരിസ് ഹില്‍ട്ടന്‍, പാട്ടുകാരായ മേരി ജെ ബ്ലിഡ്ജ്, മലാനിസ് മോറിസെറ്റി എന്നിവരുടെ വസ്ത്ര ഡിസൈനറായിരുന്നു ജോണ്‍. പാരീസ് ഉള്‍പ്പടെയുള്ള ഹോളിവുഡ് സുഹൃത്തുക്കള്‍ക്ക് ജോണ്‍ തികഞ്ഞ മാന്യനാണെന്നാണ് അഭിപ്രായം.
ആനന്ദ് ജോണിനെപ്പറ്റി മനോരമ ഓണ്‍ലൈനില്‍ വന്ന വാര്‍ത്ത താഴെ ചേര്‍ക്കുന്നു:
ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ വംശീയതയുടെ ഇരയോ?
സ്വന്തം ലേഖകന്‍
യുഎസിലെ പ്രശസ്‌ത ഫാഷന്‍ ഡിസൈനറും മലയാളിയുമായ ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ അലക്സാണ്ടര്‍ വംശീയതയുടെ ഇരയോ? ആണെന്നും അല്ലെന്നും അഭിപ്രായം ഉയരാമെങ്കിലും വര്‍ഷങ്ങളായി പ്രശസ്‌തിയുടെ കൊടുമുടിയില്‍ നില്‍ക്കുന്ന ആനന്ദിനെതിരെ ഇപ്പോള്‍ മാത്രം ഒരു പീഡന ആരോപണ പരമ്പര ഉയര്‍ന്നതാണ്‌ സംശയത്തിനിടയാക്കുന്നത്‌.
ഫാഷന്‍ രംഗത്ത്‌ ലൈംഗികതയുടെ അണിയറക്കഥകള്‍ പുതുമയല്ല. എന്നാല്‍ ഒരു പതിനഞ്ചുകാരിയടക്കം മൂന്ന്‌ യുവതികളെ മാനഭംഗപ്പെടുത്തിയെന്ന്‌ കാട്ടി ഒരു സുപ്രഭാതത്തില്‍ ആരംഭിച്ച ഈ വിവാദം ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ എറെ കാത്തിരുന്ന സ്വന്തം 'എജെ ജീന്സ് ബ്രാന്ഡ് രംഗപ്രവേശത്തിന്‌ ആഴ്ചകള്‍ക്ക്‌ മാത്രം മുമ്പാണ്‌ മുളപൊട്ടിയത്‌ എന്നതാണ്‌ സംശയങ്ങള്‍ക്കും ജീവന്‍ വയ്പ്പിക്കുന്നത്‌.
ഫാഷന്‍ രംഗത്ത്‌ ഏറെ മുന്നേറിയ യുവ രക്‌തമായ ആനന്ദിനെ വിവാദചുഴിയിലാക്കിയ ചിലര്‍ വംശീയതയുടെ പിന്‍ബലത്തില്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ നിയമക്കുരുക്കിലാക്കുമെന്ന ആശങ്കയും ഉയര്‍ന്നിട്ടുണ്ട്‌. യുഎസ്‌ പൗരത്വം ഇനിയും നേടാത്ത ആനന്ദിന്‌ നിയമവഴിയിലെ യുദ്ധം മാനനഷ്ടത്തിനൊപ്പം വന്‍ ധനബാധ്യതയും വരുത്തുമെന്നാണ്‌ റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ടുകള്‍.
അസൂയാലുക്കള്‍ സ്വപ്നം കണ്ടത്‌ പോലെ ലോസാഞ്ചലസ്‌ ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കിനോട്‌ അനുബന്ധിച്ച്‌ കുല്‍വര്‍ സിറ്റി സ്റ്റുഡിയോയില്‍ എജെ ജീന്സ് എന്ന പേരിലുള്ള സ്വന്തം കളക്ഷന്‍ രംഗത്തിറക്കാനുള്ള ആനന്ദ് ജോണിന്റെ പദ്ധതി പാളിക്കഴിഞ്ഞു. എജെ ജീന്സ് കലക്ഷന്‍ സംബന്ധിച്ച വിവരങ്ങള്‍ ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കിന്റെ വെബ്സൈറ്റില്‍ നിന്നും ഇതിനകം മാറ്റിയിട്ടുണ്ട്‌.
ആനന്ദ് ജോണിനെ (33) മാനഭംഗക്കേസില്‍ ഹോളിവുഡിലെ ബെവലി ഹില്‍സ്‌ പൊലീസാണ്‌ ഈ മാസം ആദ്യം അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്‌തത്‌. മോഡലിങ്‌ അവസരം ലഭിക്കാഞ്ഞതിന്റെ പേരില്‍ ആനന്ദിനെതിരെ പരാതിക്കാര്‍ കള്ളക്കേസ്‌ ചമച്ചതാണെന്ന്‌ ആനന്ദിന്റെ അഭിഭാഷകന്‍ റൊനല്‍ഡ്‌ റിച്ചഡ്സ്‌ പറഞ്ഞെങ്കിലും അത്‌ ബധിര കര്‍ണങ്ങളിലാണ്‌ പതിച്ചത്‌.
കുറ്റം തെളിയിക്കപ്പെടുന്നതിന്‌ മുന്‍പ്‌ തന്നെ ഒരു പ്രശസ്‌ത വ്യക്‌തിത്വം തടവറയിലാവുന്ന ദുസ്ഥിതിയാണ്‌ ഇതോടെയുണ്ടാവുന്നത്‌. കുട്ടികളെ പീഡിപ്പിച്ചുവെന്ന ആരോപണത്തില്‍ കുറ്റാരോപിതനായ മൈക്കല്‍ ജാക്സണ്‍ പോലും നെഞ്ചു വിരിച്ചു നടന്ന നാട്ടിലാണ്‌ ഈ യുവപ്രതിഭയ്ക്ക്‌ ജയിലഴികള്‍ കണി കാണേണ്ടി വരുന്നത്‌. ഒപ്പം ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കിനായി ആനന്ദ് കരുതിയ സ്വപ്നങ്ങളും പാളി.
ഒരു പതിനഞ്ചുകാരിയടക്കം മൂന്നു യുവതികളെ മാനഭംഗപ്പെടുത്തിയെന്നാണു ആനന്ദിനെതിരായ കുറ്റാരോപണം. 13 ലക്ഷം ഡോളര്‍ കെട്ടിവച്ചാല്‍ ജാമ്യം ലഭിക്കും. എന്നാല്‍ കേസില്‍ വാദം കേള്‍ക്കുന്നത്‌ ഏപ്രില്‍ നാലു വരെ നീട്ടിയ കോടതി ആനന്ദിന്‌ അതു വരെ ജാമ്യത്തിനുള്ള അവസരം നിഷേധിക്കുകയും ചെയ്‌തു. ന്യൂസ്‌ വീക്ക്‌ വാരികയുടെ ഇക്കൊല്ലത്തെ 20 പ്രഫഷനല്‍ 'നേതൃസ്ഥാനക്കാരില്‍ ഒരാളായ ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ ചെന്നൈയില്‍ പഠിച്ചശേഷം ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്കിലെ പ്രശസ്‌തമായ പാഴ്സന്‍ സ്കൂള്‍ ഒഫ്‌ ഡിസൈനില്‍ നിന്നു ബിരുദം നേടിയത്‌.
ഇപ്പോഴും ഇന്ത്യന്‍ പൗരത്വം സൂക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ആനന്ദിന്റെ ഇടപാടുകാരില്‍ പ്രശസ്‌തമായ ഹില്‍ട്ടന്‍ ഹോട്ടല്‍ ശൃംഖലയുടെ അവകാശി പാരിസ് ഹില്‍ട്ടന്‍, ജോര്‍ദാന്‍ രാജ്ഞി നൂര്‍, കെട്ടിടനിര്‍മാണ സമ്രാട്ട്‌ ഡൊനല്‍ഡ്‌ ട്രമ്പ്‌, ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്ക്‌ മുന്‍ മേയര്‍ റൂഡി ഗെയിലിയനി തുടങ്ങിയവര്‍ വരെ ഉള്‍പെടുന്നു.
തൊഴില്‍ പരമായ അസൂയ തന്നെയാവാം ഹോളിവുഡില്‍ തന്നെ തിളക്കമാര്‍ന്ന ഈ ഫാഷന്‍ ഡിസൈനറെ അപവാദ ചുഴിയിലാക്കിയതെന്നാണ്‌ അദ്ദേഹത്തോട്‌ അടുത്ത വൃത്തങ്ങളും പറയുന്നത്‌. അവര്‍ ഇതിനായി നിരത്തുന്ന കാരണങ്ങളും നിരവധി. 2007 ല്‍ ന്യൂസ്‌ വീക്കിന്റെ ശ്രദ്ധേയ വ്യക്‌തിത്വങ്ങളില്‍ ഇടം നേടിയ ആനന്ദിന്റെ ജീന്സ് കളക്ഷന്‍സ്‌ അവ പുറത്തിറങ്ങും മുന്‍പ്‌ തന്നെ സംസാര വിഷയമായിരുന്നതാണ്‌ ഇതിലൊന്ന്‌.
ലോസാഞ്ചലസ്‌ ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കില്‍ അവതരിപ്പിക്കാനിരുന്ന ഈ ജീന്സ് കളക്ഷനുകള്‍ക്കൊപ്പം ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കിലെ ക്ഷണിതാക്കളുടെ മുന്‍ നിര കസേരയിലൊന്നാണ്‌ ആനന്ദിന്‌ കേസിലൂടെ നഷ്ടമായത്‌. മാധ്യമ ശ്രദ്ധ നേടുന്ന ഈ നിരയില്‍ നിന്നാണ്‌ അപവാദ ചുഴിയില്‍ വീണ ആനന്ദ് കുപ്രസിദ്ധനാവുന്നതും.
മനോരമ വാര്‍ത്തയുടെ ലിങ്ക്‌
കൂടുതല്‍ വിവരങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് ഈ ബ്ലോഗിലെ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് ലേഖനങ്ങള്‍ വായിക്കുക.
അമേരിക്കന്‍ മലയാളി സംഘടനകളും മറ്റും ഈ വിഷയത്തില്‍ മൌനം പാലിക്കുകയാണെന്നത് ദുരൂഹതയുണര്‍ത്തുന്നു.
ലോകം പ്രതീക്ഷയോടെ ഉറ്റു നോക്കിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്ന യുവ ഫാഷന്‍ ഡിസൈനറായിരുന്ന ആനന്ദ് ജോണിനെതിരെ വളരെ ആസൂത്രിതമായാണ് കേസുകളുടെ ഒരു ഘോഷയാത്ര അരങ്ങേറിയത്. 40 ഓളം കുറ്റാരോപണങ്ങള്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിനെതിരേ ആരോപിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുകയാണ്‍. ഇന്റര്‍നെറ്റില്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിനെതിരേ കള്ളക്കഥകളുടെ ഒഴുക്ക് തുടരുകയാണ്‍. സ്വന്തം ഡിസൈനര്‍ ജീന്സ് ബ്രാന്ഡ് ലോഞ്ച് ചെയ്യാന്‍ ദിവസങ്ങള്‍ മാത്രം ബാക്കി നില്‍ക്കെയാണ്‍ അദ്ദേഹം അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്യപ്പെട്ടത്. റിപ്പബ്ലിക്കന്‍ നേതാവായിരുന്ന റൂഡി ഗിയുലേനി, മിഡില്‍ ഈസ്റ്റേണ്‍ റോയല്‍റ്റി, ഡോണാള്‍ഡ് ട്രം‌പ്, പാരിസ് ഹില്‍ട്ടന്‍, പാട്ടുകാരായ മേരി ജെ ബ്ലിഡ്ജ്, മലാനിസ് മോറിസെറ്റി എന്നിവരുടെ വസ്ത്ര ഡിസൈനറായിരുന്നു ജോണ്‍. പാരീസ് ഉള്‍പ്പടെയുള്ള ഹോളിവുഡ് സുഹൃത്തുക്കള്‍ക്ക് ജോണ്‍ തികഞ്ഞ മാന്യനാണെന്നാണ് അഭിപ്രായം.
ആനന്ദ് ജോണിനെപ്പറ്റി മനോരമ ഓണ്‍ലൈനില്‍ വന്ന വാര്‍ത്ത താഴെ ചേര്‍ക്കുന്നു:
ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ വംശീയതയുടെ ഇരയോ?
സ്വന്തം ലേഖകന്‍
യുഎസിലെ പ്രശസ്‌ത ഫാഷന്‍ ഡിസൈനറും മലയാളിയുമായ ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ അലക്സാണ്ടര്‍ വംശീയതയുടെ ഇരയോ? ആണെന്നും അല്ലെന്നും അഭിപ്രായം ഉയരാമെങ്കിലും വര്‍ഷങ്ങളായി പ്രശസ്‌തിയുടെ കൊടുമുടിയില്‍ നില്‍ക്കുന്ന ആനന്ദിനെതിരെ ഇപ്പോള്‍ മാത്രം ഒരു പീഡന ആരോപണ പരമ്പര ഉയര്‍ന്നതാണ്‌ സംശയത്തിനിടയാക്കുന്നത്‌.
ഫാഷന്‍ രംഗത്ത്‌ ലൈംഗികതയുടെ അണിയറക്കഥകള്‍ പുതുമയല്ല. എന്നാല്‍ ഒരു പതിനഞ്ചുകാരിയടക്കം മൂന്ന്‌ യുവതികളെ മാനഭംഗപ്പെടുത്തിയെന്ന്‌ കാട്ടി ഒരു സുപ്രഭാതത്തില്‍ ആരംഭിച്ച ഈ വിവാദം ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ എറെ കാത്തിരുന്ന സ്വന്തം 'എജെ ജീന്സ് ബ്രാന്ഡ് രംഗപ്രവേശത്തിന്‌ ആഴ്ചകള്‍ക്ക്‌ മാത്രം മുമ്പാണ്‌ മുളപൊട്ടിയത്‌ എന്നതാണ്‌ സംശയങ്ങള്‍ക്കും ജീവന്‍ വയ്പ്പിക്കുന്നത്‌.
ഫാഷന്‍ രംഗത്ത്‌ ഏറെ മുന്നേറിയ യുവ രക്‌തമായ ആനന്ദിനെ വിവാദചുഴിയിലാക്കിയ ചിലര്‍ വംശീയതയുടെ പിന്‍ബലത്തില്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ നിയമക്കുരുക്കിലാക്കുമെന്ന ആശങ്കയും ഉയര്‍ന്നിട്ടുണ്ട്‌. യുഎസ്‌ പൗരത്വം ഇനിയും നേടാത്ത ആനന്ദിന്‌ നിയമവഴിയിലെ യുദ്ധം മാനനഷ്ടത്തിനൊപ്പം വന്‍ ധനബാധ്യതയും വരുത്തുമെന്നാണ്‌ റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ടുകള്‍.
അസൂയാലുക്കള്‍ സ്വപ്നം കണ്ടത്‌ പോലെ ലോസാഞ്ചലസ്‌ ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കിനോട്‌ അനുബന്ധിച്ച്‌ കുല്‍വര്‍ സിറ്റി സ്റ്റുഡിയോയില്‍ എജെ ജീന്സ് എന്ന പേരിലുള്ള സ്വന്തം കളക്ഷന്‍ രംഗത്തിറക്കാനുള്ള ആനന്ദ് ജോണിന്റെ പദ്ധതി പാളിക്കഴിഞ്ഞു. എജെ ജീന്സ് കലക്ഷന്‍ സംബന്ധിച്ച വിവരങ്ങള്‍ ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കിന്റെ വെബ്സൈറ്റില്‍ നിന്നും ഇതിനകം മാറ്റിയിട്ടുണ്ട്‌.
ആനന്ദ് ജോണിനെ (33) മാനഭംഗക്കേസില്‍ ഹോളിവുഡിലെ ബെവലി ഹില്‍സ്‌ പൊലീസാണ്‌ ഈ മാസം ആദ്യം അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്‌തത്‌. മോഡലിങ്‌ അവസരം ലഭിക്കാഞ്ഞതിന്റെ പേരില്‍ ആനന്ദിനെതിരെ പരാതിക്കാര്‍ കള്ളക്കേസ്‌ ചമച്ചതാണെന്ന്‌ ആനന്ദിന്റെ അഭിഭാഷകന്‍ റൊനല്‍ഡ്‌ റിച്ചഡ്സ്‌ പറഞ്ഞെങ്കിലും അത്‌ ബധിര കര്‍ണങ്ങളിലാണ്‌ പതിച്ചത്‌.
കുറ്റം തെളിയിക്കപ്പെടുന്നതിന്‌ മുന്‍പ്‌ തന്നെ ഒരു പ്രശസ്‌ത വ്യക്‌തിത്വം തടവറയിലാവുന്ന ദുസ്ഥിതിയാണ്‌ ഇതോടെയുണ്ടാവുന്നത്‌. കുട്ടികളെ പീഡിപ്പിച്ചുവെന്ന ആരോപണത്തില്‍ കുറ്റാരോപിതനായ മൈക്കല്‍ ജാക്സണ്‍ പോലും നെഞ്ചു വിരിച്ചു നടന്ന നാട്ടിലാണ്‌ ഈ യുവപ്രതിഭയ്ക്ക്‌ ജയിലഴികള്‍ കണി കാണേണ്ടി വരുന്നത്‌. ഒപ്പം ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കിനായി ആനന്ദ് കരുതിയ സ്വപ്നങ്ങളും പാളി.
ഒരു പതിനഞ്ചുകാരിയടക്കം മൂന്നു യുവതികളെ മാനഭംഗപ്പെടുത്തിയെന്നാണു ആനന്ദിനെതിരായ കുറ്റാരോപണം. 13 ലക്ഷം ഡോളര്‍ കെട്ടിവച്ചാല്‍ ജാമ്യം ലഭിക്കും. എന്നാല്‍ കേസില്‍ വാദം കേള്‍ക്കുന്നത്‌ ഏപ്രില്‍ നാലു വരെ നീട്ടിയ കോടതി ആനന്ദിന്‌ അതു വരെ ജാമ്യത്തിനുള്ള അവസരം നിഷേധിക്കുകയും ചെയ്‌തു. ന്യൂസ്‌ വീക്ക്‌ വാരികയുടെ ഇക്കൊല്ലത്തെ 20 പ്രഫഷനല്‍ 'നേതൃസ്ഥാനക്കാരില്‍ ഒരാളായ ആനന്ദ് ജോണ്‍ ചെന്നൈയില്‍ പഠിച്ചശേഷം ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്കിലെ പ്രശസ്‌തമായ പാഴ്സന്‍ സ്കൂള്‍ ഒഫ്‌ ഡിസൈനില്‍ നിന്നു ബിരുദം നേടിയത്‌.
ഇപ്പോഴും ഇന്ത്യന്‍ പൗരത്വം സൂക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ആനന്ദിന്റെ ഇടപാടുകാരില്‍ പ്രശസ്‌തമായ ഹില്‍ട്ടന്‍ ഹോട്ടല്‍ ശൃംഖലയുടെ അവകാശി പാരിസ് ഹില്‍ട്ടന്‍, ജോര്‍ദാന്‍ രാജ്ഞി നൂര്‍, കെട്ടിടനിര്‍മാണ സമ്രാട്ട്‌ ഡൊനല്‍ഡ്‌ ട്രമ്പ്‌, ന്യൂയോര്‍ക്ക്‌ മുന്‍ മേയര്‍ റൂഡി ഗെയിലിയനി തുടങ്ങിയവര്‍ വരെ ഉള്‍പെടുന്നു.
തൊഴില്‍ പരമായ അസൂയ തന്നെയാവാം ഹോളിവുഡില്‍ തന്നെ തിളക്കമാര്‍ന്ന ഈ ഫാഷന്‍ ഡിസൈനറെ അപവാദ ചുഴിയിലാക്കിയതെന്നാണ്‌ അദ്ദേഹത്തോട്‌ അടുത്ത വൃത്തങ്ങളും പറയുന്നത്‌. അവര്‍ ഇതിനായി നിരത്തുന്ന കാരണങ്ങളും നിരവധി. 2007 ല്‍ ന്യൂസ്‌ വീക്കിന്റെ ശ്രദ്ധേയ വ്യക്‌തിത്വങ്ങളില്‍ ഇടം നേടിയ ആനന്ദിന്റെ ജീന്സ് കളക്ഷന്‍സ്‌ അവ പുറത്തിറങ്ങും മുന്‍പ്‌ തന്നെ സംസാര വിഷയമായിരുന്നതാണ്‌ ഇതിലൊന്ന്‌.
ലോസാഞ്ചലസ്‌ ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കില്‍ അവതരിപ്പിക്കാനിരുന്ന ഈ ജീന്സ് കളക്ഷനുകള്‍ക്കൊപ്പം ഫാഷന്‍ വീക്കിലെ ക്ഷണിതാക്കളുടെ മുന്‍ നിര കസേരയിലൊന്നാണ്‌ ആനന്ദിന്‌ കേസിലൂടെ നഷ്ടമായത്‌. മാധ്യമ ശ്രദ്ധ നേടുന്ന ഈ നിരയില്‍ നിന്നാണ്‌ അപവാദ ചുഴിയില്‍ വീണ ആനന്ദ് കുപ്രസിദ്ധനാവുന്നതും.
മനോരമ വാര്‍ത്തയുടെ ലിങ്ക്‌
കൂടുതല്‍ വിവരങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് ഈ ബ്ലോഗിലെ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് ലേഖനങ്ങള്‍ വായിക്കുക.
Anand Jon Seeks Justice
India Post News Service
LOS ANGELES: Anand Jon has been in jail now for almost six months. In court on December 6, the Deputy District Attorney made a motion to increase bail. She has made this same motion numerous times in the past. In fact, the current judge in this case pointed that out also: "At least three times in a different court that I can recall and the last hearing in this court. Do you have anything new to argue?" (paraphrased) "Yes, your honor, change of circumstance.
New York has now indicted Anand Jon." (Reader, keep in mind that an indictment in front of a grand jury contains no defense. The prosecution presents their case and is supposed to show exculpatory evidence.
That is, evidence that the prosecution has that supports the other side. In this case, they didn't do that. In fact, they may have done just the opposite and hidden that evidence, those facts, that testimony.) What I've learned from the defense is incredible.
Out of the 40 counts in New York, 30 are duplicates of the other jurisdictions. Repeating, because this is important, 30 out of the 40 counts are the same - that's 75% of the charges against! That's amazing! (...and, surprisingly, not double jeopardy.) Many of these girls have claimed to have been assaulted in multiple states. In fact, one girl is claiming New York, Dallas, TX and Los Angeles, CA. On top of that, multiple infractions in each place.
Think about it, intelligent reader, if you were assaulted one time, just one time, would you go back the next day? and the next? and the next? then travel to different states with your assaulter? Not logical, but the DDA would want you to believe this.
Common sense points to a ridiculous and fictitious story. Now, we can't claim that these girls are lying, however, if they are and are proven in court then perjury is a felony that carries 2, 4 or 6 years per charge or instance. Food for thought. The judge challenged the prosecutor this day.
He grilled her on her motion, why it wasn't different essentially from previous motions. Also, when she stated that he would flee the United States if released on bail the judge jumped all over her for factual basis for that argument. End result, there was none and the DDA had to admit it to the court. She was making a biased statement based on personal opinion and not on fact.
The defense asked the court to abide by its previous ruling and let the amount of bail, $2.095 million remain. (The prosecutor again requested that it be raised to 5.18MM.) The defense discussed the New York complainants and that the prosecutor in LA nor NY would give the names so that they could accurately compare each jurisdiction.
The defense requested that the LA court handle the LA matter, NY the NY matter and TX handle TX. If each jurisdiction was concerned with all the others the bail would increase exponentially in each place and be monstrous as a result.
The judge in this case does not want to lose this case to NY and hinted at a "no bail" solution for LA while waiting for New York to decide its bail. The defense made a plea for the court to maintain the bail at its current level and wait until New York decides during which they promised to not get Anand Jon out during this process.
The predicament that the prosecution has crafted is perilous. It was brought out in court that the ADA from NY came to LA to meet with the DA's office. Then they planned the indictment in such a way as to keep Anand Jon from making bail. In fact, NY has threatened that if he made bail they would hold a second indictment with two more girls waiting in the wings. Isn't this considered a threat? Unfair treatment?
At the very least unlawful? Possibly holding on to two additional complainants just in case the accused legally makes bail? Legally, the 8th Amendment to the US Constitution allows for any person accused of a crime to have a fair and reasonable bail set. In New York, they can set a "no bail" on a person for certain alleged crimes.
The NY prosecutor has threatened to extradite Anand Jon away from LA and remand him in NY (set "no bail"). The LA courts (already through a balance of this process) don't want that to happen. Hence the Catch-22: you can't post bail in LA (as to properly aide in your own defense) if you're immediately going to be sent to NY.
This is unfair and unjust and screams of civil liberty violations. How can a man defend himself if the prosecution collaborates with other jurisdictions to keep him incarcerated? Sanjana Jon made a very strong statement: "As a social activist I have worked in helping women and children. Rape is terrible and any man who actually commits such an act should be punished - but what's worse is to accuse, lie and frame someone of rape or sexual assault.
The people who lie and commit perjury and destroy people's lives should face the same time if not more in prison.
" In the Duke case the three students were found innocent and the DA was charged with prosecutorial misconduct but what happened to the so called victim? Nothing? The legal system should protect innocent people from conspirators who use the system for personal gain.
I am a woman and logically I can not understand how these alleged victims traveled around to different events, "partied", posed for pictures, photo shoots and red carpet events and many have even traveled to India with the family! Does that make any sense after an alleged attack? Out of the innumerable so-called alleged victims there is only one single rape kit which everyone fails to mention came back with no signs of rape or trauma. So on what basis is this innocent man being jailed and not even being given a chance to defend himself?"
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Anand Jon strongly pleads "not guilty" after grand jury indictment
Staff Reporter(News Asia)
Los Angeles, CA: Fashion designer Anand Jon stood strongly in front of the court recently, confidently as he said, "Not guilty, your honor." when Judge David S. Wesley asked, "How do you plead?" to 59 counts of sexual misconduct.
The 59 counts and 20 complainants are considered by many to be absurd and as as usually the case in high-profile cases, is being crucified by the media / press even before he has a chance to defend himself.
On Oct 25th, supporters from different communities including community leaders and many more from the fashion/ entertainment industry showed their support by being present.
The prosecutor then tells the judge that she hasn't prepared for the hearing nor had she submitted a written response to the defense's pleading .With total disregard to the defendant / victim, Anand Jon has to wait in jail another 13 days. A frustrating situation for the many who had flown in from New York , Chicago to show their support for Anand Jon.
Anthony Brooklier, co-lead for the defense, acknowledges that the fax on Friday had no exhibits as the exhibits were all the previous court transcripts and he assumes the prosecution would have all court transcripts to reference. Mr. Brooklier goes on to quote a statute that states "the minimum time for defense to present prosecutor the bail motion is 2 days; we gave her 6 days your honor. We really can't be responsible for the prosecutions days off."
Nonetheless, the judge granted the DDA the additional time to review and submit in writing a response to the days brief, "but make sure that it is on my desk and the defense attorney's desk with plenty of time to review."
For the court's consideration, Mr. Brooklier also pointed out the difference between the previous complaints and the grand jury complaint. The prosecution made it seem in the press as if there were 2 more complainants and 12 more counts. BUT it appears, according to Anand's family, that counts 48-55 are expanded from previous counts.
Then, Mr. Brooklier announced that count 56 was a misdemeanor , counts 57-59 are from an old DA rejected case in Santa Barbara that was from 2001. Counts have been added for every alleged touch and even a supposed kiss.
Leonard Levine, from the defense team, added for the press that "…We are going to prove all of these are allegations. Simple allegations. Anand Jon will be exonerated."
The judge congratulated the defense team on their preparation and warned the prosecutor that "she had her work cut out for her".
The alleged victim, seems to be an unusual rape victim. She has apparently gone on a well-orchestrated media tour, according to Anand's supporters.
Apparently hiring a PR maven in Ms. Gloria Allred. At age 32, she's old, in America , for the modeling industry, where most models retire at 24. Is this civil suit a last ditch effort for some publicity, money and attention? IS she really a victim, or is Anand the victim. Time will tell.
Fame and publicity are obvious in this type of scandal. But why did these girls think that there was money? They could be barking up the wrong money tree.
Wall Street investors had evaluated the Anand Jon brand for $10-15 million with potential investment through private placement. Did these girls think that Mr. Jon had that in the bank? If this first civil suit proves anything, it's that the one with the better PR team wins.
Anand Jon has made India proud for many years and has been pursued by global media including several Newsweek exposes (including Whom to Watch in 2007 - January 2007), numerous fashion awards including the Spirit of India Award, International Star Award at Vancouver Fashion Week, PM Vajpayee's Top 50 NRI's, the list continues.
There is a petition website that supports Anand Jon and his family, http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/wesupportanandjon.
Anand Jon: Crucifying the Defendant before Trial
Los Angeles, CA / TEN-Media
The Anand Jon injustice continues. For those of you catching up late, Anand Jon is a celebrity fashion designer. It is alleged that he was inappropriate with some of the models that essentially wanted to "ride his coattails to success [sic] ( New York Times, April 15 2007). His defense team asserts that they are trumped up charges made by "wanna-be's" that are craving publicity, fame and potentially fortune. That may be true as one of the complainants in the case went on television the same day ( May 16, 2007) that the prosecutor relayed in court that "no sexual assault victim craves publicity". So much for that argument. Apparently the DDA has never worked in the entertainment industry (or watched television).
What motivates these young women? There have been many exposes about today's progressive and aggressive culture. (Remember the movies Kids, Cruel Intentions and recently, John Tucker Must Die and even Ugly Betty. All these pieces contained manipulation in today's youth). Look at Myspace. On these networking websites, these teens and young adults try to outdo each other through sex, drugs, violence, etc. Innocence in today's youth has been replaced with manipulation, conniving and blackmail. Lying has gone beyond cheating on the math quiz and has moved to affecting real lives in a real world with real consequences.
This trial has been an example of how the one-sided the criminal legal process is. As us journalists sit in the courtroom and watch this process we are reminded that the beginning of any criminal court proceeding leans toward the prosecution. They call the shots at the start of the process. The defense basically watches from the sidelines, interjecting occasionally. Many of us were looking forward to the preliminary hearing. That is where the defense team would have had the opportunity to cross examine the prosecution's witnesses. However, curiously, the DA's office chose to skip that part of the process. Why? Many of the attorneys contacted mentioned several words when pressed to react to this situation including unethical, suspicious and unscrupulous. Why? "…because it taints the process," said one criminal defense attorney. "a good DA will use the prelim process to strengthen their case. They knock out the weak counts and proceed with strongest. If they skip that process they are worried that the entire case may get dismissed." [which was witnessed firsthand on Sept 26 in another case in front of the same court.] "They are essentially throwing as much at the wall as they can, hoping that something will stick."
Rushing to grand jury produces an indictment. The court proceeding is referred to as the arraignment. One defense attorney stated that the process is so one-sided that "you can indict a ham sandwich". Why? Because there is no cross examination by the defense. The prosecution parades their witnesses in a closed door, secret proceeding in front of the "grand jury" consisting of 23 total. The decision (which is characteristically 99.9% in favour of continuing to the trial) is sealed and released at a later date, thus keeping the defense in the dark.
In this case the prosecution has added 11 new counts (not 57 as TMZ.com, Oct 4, 2007, reported – tmz.com also misrepresented much of what happened in court in that story and sensationalized the balance). Some of these counts are from 2001 and many from the same complainant. What is questionable about this is that only one girl came forward originally to accuse the designer. The rest jumped on the bandwagon after. (Why? See above) That first accuser, according to TMZ, woke up late, took a shower, tried on the designer's clothes, wanted to go to lunch, etc. there were at least 4 witnesses to this, one that they interviewed. A simple call to a rape center or hotline will tell you that this is not the reaction that a rape victim has the next morning. She wants the hell out, not "…good morning, honey, what do you want to do today?"
Referring to the other counts, there are complainants with several identical allegations over a period of time. So are we to believe that if someone is assaulted they continue to be assaulted on different days at different times against their will, if it ever happened at all?
The prosecution would like us to believe that there are now 59 counts meaning 59 individual instances of alleged inappropriateness. And 20 alleged victims? However, when you look closer, you see that many of them are duplicated. (In fact, the prosecution pushed many of the girls to file in Dallas, as stated in the NY Times article referenced above. This was apparently done to increase bail elsewhere as the court has consistently stated that the bail from the Beverly Hills court would not be increased. The court also stated on the record that the defendant is not a flight risk, not a danger to society, and should be allowed to competently defend himself from the outside.)
The DDA, in an apparent "act of desperation" (again, the "throwing everything against the wall" theory or piling on charges so that the case looks bleak - to the defendant, the media and to the public) added more counts / charges from 2001. Are we expected to believe that all of this happened in different jurisdictions for years, without a single complaint filed? What about friends, family or counselors? If these alleged allegations apparently began in 2001, does it seem likely that no one ever complained?
Are we to believe that all these girls were assaulted by a man who lists his address on his website? And invites people into his living and working space? And lives 5 blocks away from the Beverly Hills police station?
Are we to believe that none of these complainants knew how to dial 911? Or knock on a neighbor's door? It would seem that they didn't need to because no crime was committed.
We are smarter then this. We have to be. Stop being spoon-fed. Start questioning. Look at it logically and objectively. I invite everyone out there to do there own due diligence and investigative probing. Don't take things at face value.
We've all watched enough television to realize that reality reflects television just as television reflects reality. I believe that it's ingrained in the minds of today's youngsters. They forget that there is a reality that is a consequence of one's actions. Instead of crucifying a person in the press, media, publications, etc. we should support the truth and hold the prosecution to the highest order of integrity.
There have been too many people in the system that has been proven innocent too late (mostly due to DNA evidence. An innocent man spending one day incarcerated should not be tolerated ( i.e. the Duke Rape case).) In this case, there is something suspicious going on and it is our job as journalists to search for the truth and report it objectively.
All of us know Anand has been framed. He is to undergo trial for crimes he never committed. Being an Indian citizen entangled in a hostile system , helpless, and only two women, his mother and sister, who are leaving no stone unturned in a tremendous effort to save him, the government and people of India should intercede to ensure that Anand's case is re-investigated. There are doubts that the entire case is a conspiracy to destroy an Indian designer who was into big times in US of America. Racial discrimination is also evident in this episode. The case has to be re-investigated in the light of these aspects to clear all suspicion and to ensure that Anand gets justice.
To remain silent now is to give our assent to tyranny, brutality, untruth and miscarriage of justice. As citizens of India, we should persude our Government to act and also remind the Government and people of USA that the freedom and democratic values they proclaim to the world are at stake in this matter.
Let us discuss between us what we can and must do in this matter. Time is running out and Anand, his mother and his sister need all the support, help and succour we can offer.
One of the biggest fashion designer in NEw YORK ... worked his ass out to Reach thr , minted money , made millions , but today 45 cases against him ... just because he is an indian who made big out there ..... well well well 15 unknown woman coming up and puttin these shitty allegations on him and amercian government is so dumb that they cannot figure out that where were all these woman for 5 years , how can they even register such case .... well all you people reading this might be wondering how come i am writing all this because i know ANand bhaiya personally and the only way to get him out of this is all of us being together for him when he needs us the most ................. tHE choICE iS uP tO u , as i say there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path - GAURAV ANIRUDH GARG
The Anand Jon injustice continues. For those of you catching up late, Anand Jon is a celebrity fashion designer. It is alleged that he was inappropriate with some of the models that essentially wanted to "ride his coattails to success [sic] ( New York Times, April 15 2007). His defense team asserts that they are trumped up charges made by "wanna-be's" that are craving publicity, fame and potentially fortune. That may be true as one of the complainants in the case went on television the same day ( May 16, 2007) that the prosecutor relayed in court that "no sexual assault victim craves publicity". So much for that argument. Apparently the DDA has never worked in the entertainment industry (or watched television).
What motivates these young women? There have been many exposes about today's progressive and aggressive culture. (Remember the movies Kids, Cruel Intentions and recently, John Tucker Must Die and even Ugly Betty. All these pieces contained manipulation in today's youth). Look at Myspace. On these networking websites, these teens and young adults try to outdo each other through sex, drugs, violence, etc. Innocence in today's youth has been replaced with manipulation, conniving and blackmail. Lying has gone beyond cheating on the math quiz and has moved to affecting real lives in a real world with real consequences.
This trial has been an example of how the one-sided the criminal legal process is. As us journalists sit in the courtroom and watch this process we are reminded that the beginning of any criminal court proceeding leans toward the prosecution. They call the shots at the start of the process. The defense basically watches from the sidelines, interjecting occasionally. Many of us were looking forward to the preliminary hearing. That is where the defense team would have had the opportunity to cross examine the prosecution's witnesses. However, curiously, the DA's office chose to skip that part of the process. Why? Many of the attorneys contacted mentioned several words when pressed to react to this situation including unethical, suspicious and unscrupulous. Why? "…because it taints the process," said one criminal defense attorney. "a good DA will use the prelim process to strengthen their case. They knock out the weak counts and proceed with strongest. If they skip that process they are worried that the entire case may get dismissed." [which was witnessed firsthand on Sept 26 in another case in front of the same court.] "They are essentially throwing as much at the wall as they can, hoping that something will stick."
Rushing to grand jury produces an indictment. The court proceeding is referred to as the arraignment. One defense attorney stated that the process is so one-sided that "you can indict a ham sandwich". Why? Because there is no cross examination by the defense. The prosecution parades their witnesses in a closed door, secret proceeding in front of the "grand jury" consisting of 23 total. The decision (which is characteristically 99.9% in favour of continuing to the trial) is sealed and released at a later date, thus keeping the defense in the dark.
In this case the prosecution has added 11 new counts (not 57 as TMZ.com, Oct 4, 2007, reported – tmz.com also misrepresented much of what happened in court in that story and sensationalized the balance). Some of these counts are from 2001 and many from the same complainant. What is questionable about this is that only one girl came forward originally to accuse the designer. The rest jumped on the bandwagon after. (Why? See above) That first accuser, according to TMZ, woke up late, took a shower, tried on the designer's clothes, wanted to go to lunch, etc. there were at least 4 witnesses to this, one that they interviewed. A simple call to a rape center or hotline will tell you that this is not the reaction that a rape victim has the next morning. She wants the hell out, not "…good morning, honey, what do you want to do today?"
Referring to the other counts, there are complainants with several identical allegations over a period of time. So are we to believe that if someone is assaulted they continue to be assaulted on different days at different times against their will, if it ever happened at all?
The prosecution would like us to believe that there are now 59 counts meaning 59 individual instances of alleged inappropriateness. And 20 alleged victims? However, when you look closer, you see that many of them are duplicated. (In fact, the prosecution pushed many of the girls to file in Dallas, as stated in the NY Times article referenced above. This was apparently done to increase bail elsewhere as the court has consistently stated that the bail from the Beverly Hills court would not be increased. The court also stated on the record that the defendant is not a flight risk, not a danger to society, and should be allowed to competently defend himself from the outside.)
The DDA, in an apparent "act of desperation" (again, the "throwing everything against the wall" theory or piling on charges so that the case looks bleak - to the defendant, the media and to the public) added more counts / charges from 2001. Are we expected to believe that all of this happened in different jurisdictions for years, without a single complaint filed? What about friends, family or counselors? If these alleged allegations apparently began in 2001, does it seem likely that no one ever complained?
Are we to believe that all these girls were assaulted by a man who lists his address on his website? And invites people into his living and working space? And lives 5 blocks away from the Beverly Hills police station?
Are we to believe that none of these complainants knew how to dial 911? Or knock on a neighbor's door? It would seem that they didn't need to because no crime was committed.
We are smarter then this. We have to be. Stop being spoon-fed. Start questioning. Look at it logically and objectively. I invite everyone out there to do there own due diligence and investigative probing. Don't take things at face value.
We've all watched enough television to realize that reality reflects television just as television reflects reality. I believe that it's ingrained in the minds of today's youngsters. They forget that there is a reality that is a consequence of one's actions. Instead of crucifying a person in the press, media, publications, etc. we should support the truth and hold the prosecution to the highest order of integrity.
There have been too many people in the system that has been proven innocent too late (mostly due to DNA evidence. An innocent man spending one day incarcerated should not be tolerated ( i.e. the Duke Rape case).) In this case, there is something suspicious going on and it is our job as journalists to search for the truth and report it objectively.
All of us know Anand has been framed. He is to undergo trial for crimes he never committed. Being an Indian citizen entangled in a hostile system , helpless, and only two women, his mother and sister, who are leaving no stone unturned in a tremendous effort to save him, the government and people of India should intercede to ensure that Anand's case is re-investigated. There are doubts that the entire case is a conspiracy to destroy an Indian designer who was into big times in US of America. Racial discrimination is also evident in this episode. The case has to be re-investigated in the light of these aspects to clear all suspicion and to ensure that Anand gets justice.
To remain silent now is to give our assent to tyranny, brutality, untruth and miscarriage of justice. As citizens of India, we should persude our Government to act and also remind the Government and people of USA that the freedom and democratic values they proclaim to the world are at stake in this matter.
Let us discuss between us what we can and must do in this matter. Time is running out and Anand, his mother and his sister need all the support, help and succour we can offer.
One of the biggest fashion designer in NEw YORK ... worked his ass out to Reach thr , minted money , made millions , but today 45 cases against him ... just because he is an indian who made big out there ..... well well well 15 unknown woman coming up and puttin these shitty allegations on him and amercian government is so dumb that they cannot figure out that where were all these woman for 5 years , how can they even register such case .... well all you people reading this might be wondering how come i am writing all this because i know ANand bhaiya personally and the only way to get him out of this is all of us being together for him when he needs us the most ................. tHE choICE iS uP tO u , as i say there is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path - GAURAV ANIRUDH GARG
Indian support for beleaguered celebrity designer in US
By Ravi S. Jha (Khaleejtimes correspondent)
NEW DELHI — India is petitioning for the release of Indian celebrity designer Anand Jon Abraham from Los Angeles prison, where he is booked for 36-counts of rape, molestation and sexual battery.
New Delhi has taken an exceptional move to come out in support of Jon despite the growing number of charges against Jon.
India’s reaction has come at a time when Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and senior Congress leader Vayalar Ravi has indicated that Jon could be the ‘victim of racial discrimination’ in the US. If Ravi is to be believed then India is aiming to get Jon out of prison by using diplomatic channels, but so far without success.
It may not be easy to get the 33-year-old model out of prison, as India’s Ministry of External Affairs is cautious not to take up the issue with the US because it is purely an internal judicial matter. But Ravi has officially asked the Indian Ambassador in US, Ronen Sen, for Jon’s release.
Officials admitted on Tuesday that the minister has even written to Indian consul generals in New York and San Francisco to look into the case, and help Jon in any need. There are reports of Ravi also extending help to Jon’s family — mother Shashi Abraham and sister Sanjana Jon.
The minister has attempted to whip up support from the strong non-resident Indian community in the US seeking Jon’s release, though not many have come out to back Jon considering the seriousness of the ‘criminal charges’ against him that even includes a child abuse case.
Top officials in the Ministry of External Affairs here are tightlipped over remarks made by Ravi in support of Jon. Ravi has been quoted as saying: “I have told (Ronen) Sen to do all he can to help them (Jon’s family). I’m glad that consul general in San Francisco B.S. Prakash was very helpful.”
“He sent two officers to meet Jon in prison, and said they would give him all support from the Indian side. The Indian offices will also report to us about what is being done for him. After all, he holds an Indian passport and was doing very well in the US. I won’t be surprised if there was some competition (from Americans),” Ravi said.
The statement is significant considering that Ravi is handling overseas affairs portfolio in Dr Manmohan Singh-led government. His remarks that Jon is a victim of ‘minority discrimination and personal envy’ in the US could be seen as interfering with US’ judicial process, said foreign policy observers.
The charge-sheet against Jon speaks volume of his alleged involvement in various crimes, mostly sexual, against women. Ravi has expressed disbelief about the legitimacy of such charges. He said: “I have heard the case and details of the charge-sheet, and got a feeling that there was something odd."
DDA admits no violence, weapons, injuries in Anand Jon Case
India Post News Service
LOS ANGELES: The crowd inside the courtroom went beyond just friends and family. The Anand Jon bail hearing on Wednesday, Nov 7 included community leaders, celebrities, activists, fashion and entertainment insiders, and of course journalists.
The air was heavy with anticipation. The judge seemed in a decent mood. He acknowledged receipt of all the motions filed by prosecution and defense. [Note: At the last hearing on the 25th of Oct the defense gave the DDA 6 days to respond to its motion and the DDA complained about lack of time. This hearing, Nov 7, the DDA gave the defense the response on Nov 5th – 1 day to write it up and submit to the judge.
If the defense requested additional time it would just mean more time in jail for Anand Jon. Notice this "strategy" by the prosecution to keep the defendant incarcerated.] Again, the DDA claims to not have seen the defense response briefing. The judge gives her time to review. The defense makes a statement. The prosecution makes a statement.
The prosecution is pushing for over $5MM bail in this case. The prosecution made statements such as "he is a sexual predator. He is a serial rapist." What happened to alleged and accused? Earlier this year, a judge in Nebraska refused to let the prosecution use the terms sexual assault, rape, victim, etc. during the course of events and trial because "that was what we are here to decide."
Well, isn’t that what we are here to decide? Think of it personally. If your child is up on even a simple charge of stealing from a store, should the DDA stand up and brand him or her a thief in and out of the courtroom? What is the result if later surveillance tapes show that a shelf was bumped into and something fell into your kid’s bag accidentally?
In this example, it was clearly a mistake, but what if the prosecution had already branded the child a thief, burglar, robber, degenerate, delinquent, etc. Innocent until proven otherwise. That is supposed to be the law of the land. Let’s face it; this is not a perfect society. But for the prosecution to call him a serial rapist and a sexual predator is an obvious tactic of brainwashing the public into accepting those statements as the gospel truth - a serious miscarriage of justice.
It appears that the prosecution is trying to influence the future jury even before the trial has begun…of course, the mainstream media is gullibly lapping up all that is fed to them by the prosecution and this in turn plays a major role in this drama of misinformation misguidance.
An important point during the proceedings - The judge asked the prosecution several questions: were there any weapons used? No. Was there any physical force? No. Were there any bodily injuries? No. The judge also asked if he had made all court appearances and ever refused appearance. Again, the answer was "no". So, Anand Jon had made all court appearances fully knowing the additional counts and charges; he never refused to appear and only wants a chance to prove his innocence.
This is a simple case of he-said / she-said (although I notice (as reported by TMZ) that there were witnesses present when some of these alleged assaults occurred). There is no smoking gun from what we’ve heard so far. And there’s been a civil suit filed already. This is clearly suspicious. Not only is it suspicious it is almost hilarious!
This so-called ‘victim’ goes public on prime time TV with a media attention-hungry attorney and tries to cut a sorry figure wailing and whining about what happened to her. Their appearance on Channel 13 news featured her trying to "cry" without shedding a single tear! The judge said that he will only rule on the "new" counts that were added to the grand jury indictment and not touch what the previous court kept level.
What surprised many in the courtroom was a realization that the prosecution can pad charges. In other words, if I’m alleged of assaulting you by touched your left and right arm, those can be considered two charges, not just one charge of assault. This is indicative to what some of the charges are in this case. A prosecutorial trick that serves to increase bail higher than it probably should be. The other court saw this happening and refused to let the DDA succeed.
That’s why the prosecution rushed to grand jury, skipping over preliminary hearing that would have allowed defense cross-examination and possibly dismissed counts. There was disappointment that this court didn’t notice the same. Consequently the judge increased bail to $2.095MM. This should outrage the community. As Anand Jon sits in jail, the family works hard to come up with money and collateral. They have amassed some, but much more is now needed.
The family wouldn’t (or couldn’t on advice of counsel) go into details on the financing. But $2 million is a lot for anyone in this country, especially a first generation family. And this is where the community comes in. First of all, the fact that the bail amount is so high has outraged the community. "Even the most hardened and vicious killers don’t end up with this kind of bail," says a clearly frustrated and angry Saab Singh Bhullar, President of the Walnut gurdwara committee.
And this is where the community comes in…folks this is the same Anand Jon that made you proud and yes the very same Anand Jon that you never tired of praising and claiming him as your own. Today he needs you…he needs your help to get out of jail and prove his innocence.
We all sign checks for mainstream politicians at fundraisers to help them in their election bid….it’s a different matter that its money down the drain because once the politician pockets your check, he’s gone….he does not even remember your name or your face; and neither does he want to. Well it’s a different matter that some of us are naïve and stupid enough to actually believe that our contribution is going to help us in any way.
This is the time that we all need to rally together for Anand. There are many issues related to the bail that have to be addressed on a war footing ….please remember that Anand cannot prove his innocence sitting behind bars. We have to get him out and that can only be done if we all come together and bail him out. As for the skeptics and the naysayers…Anand Jon does not appear to be a flight risk. The judges in multiple courts have agreed.
In fact, in order to keep the bail as low as possible the defense requested a monitoring bracelet. However, bail was still raised. "He could have taken off the first time he was bailed out. He was free and had his passport with him but to him the honorable way was to face the allegations and prove his innocence," said a lady who declined to identify herself. "
First of all this is a case involving a high profile celebrity and this time when he is bailed out he will probably be fitted with a monitoring device to keep track of his whereabouts," she added. SupportAnandJon@gmail.com is monitored by the family and can be contacted to help. There is a support Anand Jon petition on www.epetition.com – search for Anand Jon. Everyone reading this should at the very least sign that petition.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
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