PORTLAND, Maine — The attorney for one of the two people accused by the state of operating a prostitution business in Kennebunk said the names of the so-called clients should be released.
“Let the chips fall where they may,” attorney Daniel Lilley of Portland said Monday.
Lilley represents Mark W. Strong Sr., 57, of Thomaston, who has been indicted for 59 counts that include promotion of prostitution, invasion of privacy, and conspiracy.
“They’ve crucified Mark Strong. They’ve tried him in the media. We should have a fair playing field,” Lilley said.
Lilley said if Strong’s case goes to trial, he will certainly call the alleged clients of Alexis Wright to testify. Wright ran a Zumba dance studio in Kennebunk where police and prosecutors say she operated a prostitution business and videotaped clients having sex with her without their knowledge. She also was indicted earlier this month on 106 counts, including charges of engaging in prostitution, violation of privacy and failure to pay taxes.
A lawyer representing two of the accused clients — referred to in court documents as John Doe No. 1 and John Doe No. 2 — has asked the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to prevent the public release of the names of people who have been issued summonses accusing them of paying for sex.
The Kennebunk Police Department said it will not release the names until the legal appeals have been completed.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court hasn’t said when a ruling will be made.
Lilley said he wants a speedy trial for Strong and does not want to wait until the state serves all the clients and provides each of them with the evidence they have collected.
“I feel confident there is insufficient evidence,” Lilley said of the state’s case against Strong. He said his client wants his day in court and then to rebuild his life and business.
Strong was arrested in July on a single count of promotion of prostitution.
A telephone call was also left Monday morning with Wright’s attorney, Sarah Churchill, for comment on the issue of the release of the names of clients.
Someone from the “in-crowd” must be on the list trying to stop the release of names. The newspaper publishes the names of individuals caught for speeding or assault. Customers of prostitution services should be identified in order to serve as a deterrent to this type of crime and to be consistent with other practices. This particular incident might give rise to a movement to legalize prostitution instead of simply rising a man’s expectations.
As the headline “Thomaston Businessman…” says, there’s no business like ho business.
@accountnow:disqus wrote: This particular incident might give rise to a movement to legalize prostitution instead of simply rising a man’s expectations.
No, it won’t but thanks for the laugh.
LOL not only are these JOHNS going to have their names blasted but they will be made to testify in this case. BUHAAAA this is going to be better than I thought.
I just got rid of my cable, glad I will have other means of entertainment.
Very good, cable bad!
I find it coincidental that the clients of the prostitution establishment are being referred to by as johns and John Doe 1 John Doe 2. etc. etc. etc.
John and Jane, Jack and Jill, potato, potahtoe
Class warfare at its best.. The Elite VS the middleclass and poor… The people of Maine can’t allow them to hide these names. Call you State Rep today and demand the release of the names.
You are assigning way to much power to the reps. of yours or any other districts!
It the “Johns” have already been summons to court,it is now public record.Release the names.
Matter of public record. One only has to institute the appropriate request for information. http://www.maine.gov/foaa/request/index.shtml So how many of you will make a request for the information? And I wonder how the State of Maine will handle the requests that have/will be made.
They publicly publish ‘accused’ offenders for OUI in the newspaper sections of police beats, when they are picked up. Some papers publish the jail logs as well and the reasons for them being jailed. Kind of makes one wonder just who is so important that attorney Stephen Schwartz of Portland-who has John Doe 1 & 2 as clients, made the statement in court “Plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm if their names are released to the media by the police. . They should have thought about that when they broke the law and carelessly threw themselves into the public’s scrutiny! You reap what you sow, and their choices were deliberate and consciously made. Their total disregard for their public images were not ANYTHING they cared about at the time/times of their crimes. Why should their images matter now? And if this were just any someone NOT IN THE PUBLIC eye, they SURELY WOULD BE in the public eye and the courts and media would not care one bit about their public images or if they suffered irreparable harm as a result of it! FREEDOM OF INFORMATION!
I, for one, won’t bother, since I view prostitution as a victimless ‘crime’. However, if there are two people involved in a crime and only one of those people is placed in the public eye to be tried by the media, something is wrong with our system. Whoa! Did I say that aloud?
Why hasn’t the PPH sued to get the names released? There is zero legal justification for the KPD to withhold the names of prople that they’ve summonsed in the absence of a court order – which apparently does not exist here. It’s as if the PPH doesn’t want the names released (until after the election. maybe?).
Portland Press Herald + Donald Sussman + Chellie Pingree = political questions
= tinfoil hat…..
Actually – we now know, thanks to a recent study that tin foil hat’s actually make things worse:
http://www.uproxx.com/gammasquad/2012/06/tin-foil-hats-amplify-government-signals/
Some of you paranoid commenters need to learn to read. The KPD cannot release the name unless/until all of the appeals have either been heard or denied. This is a legal issue, plain and simple, not a political one or a “thin blue line” one.
One can appeal a subpoena? When did this come into effect? If I’m served with a subpoena, I can’t appeal it, I’d best show up to address it. This means I’m in the public eye, and subject to media scrutiny. If I use a key to enter someone’s house illegally, I’m guilty of using the key to insert in the lock; the key is not the sole instrument of the crime, and the key would be placed in evidence against me. Yep, it’s a metaphor, kids…..if the key fits the lock, the crime fits the key.
You can make a request to have the information released. Here is the website for information on how to do that:
http://www.maine.gov/foaa/request/index.shtml
The PPH through their attorney have filed suit to reveal the names-a while ago. They also were fighting the appeal to the Maine Supreme Court but the original motion has been withdrawn. The appeal is again with the Superior Court in Biddeford.
If you son or daughter was driving down the road an a cop pulled your daughter/ son over an said they were drinking an they were not an the cop took them to the police station for a test an the test had a 00.00 would you want they names all over the news papers an tv ? I forgot an you half to pay the towing charges be cause the cop had the car towed .
Connected by DROID on Verizon Wireless
—–Original message—–
Does he know the “John’s”??
%1 are on the list???/
Of course he does, fair is fair.
The people who broke the law are a matter of public record and the Freedom of Information Act can be utilized. Interestingly enough, the fact that the list is being squelched speak volumes! It just makes people want to know who they are protecting and keeping out of the limelight. The people on the list deliberately and consciously made the decision to break the law, to throw caution to the wind, not caring about their families-husbands/wives and children or jobs and public image. So, if these people were so thoughtless and not caring of the consequences or the outcome if they were ‘caught’, they why give them protection now? Unless of course, the people on this list KNEW IN ADVANCE that their crimes would not be made public and they would only get a slap on the wrist… Hmmm, food for thought!
Interesting move, if strong goes down he’s taking the clients with him.
I hope so. If one ‘criminal’ is held accountable; all should be.
The law of unintended consequences. What a crock. This says so much about everyone & more about ourselves as so-called free individuals. I do wonder what it would be like for all of us, everyone to let everyone else know what we do in our so-called “private” lives.
Glass houses? Cast the first stone? Biblical scholars are still divided over the inclusion of that (complete) phrase (usually found in John) w/in some versions of the Bible.
Yes, I know I have a minority viewpoint.
In any event, to me it is more a cynical interpretation of those clamoring for some sort of “justice” or more likely a prurient interest in a “taboo” subject matter. Obviously “the media” knows most of their audience. Sex sells. What also sells is someone else’s troubles to make many folks feel better about their own lives.
Larger question, to me anyway, is why? Follow up question would be is your own life so above reproach or is it simply trying to bring down someone else to your own level?
Things are never as simple as they appear & what goes around comes around. (Ha! Have I included enough clichés?)
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, sure it’s all the above, but then again it’s just entertainment.
Unless Bill Clinton is holding the cigar…………just sayin’
REVEAL YOURSELF LIKE MY HUSBAND DID SO YOUR FAMILY WILL BE PREPARED!!
wonder if any of the johns are worried about STD’s….if they did they get what they deserve….
If they used proper protection they should not be worried.
Could it be someone running for the U.S.Senate
Or someone who frequents the Bush compound?
Or someone on Obama’s campaign? Or even a present Congress member? Could be anyone eh?
So much for speculation. Guess we will see and boy…this is the biggest event since….hmmm..man walked on the moon.
Release the Johns!!
I am guessing a Maine judge or judges will be on list.
They make value judgments that empathize with criminal mind.. RELEASE THOSE NAMES!!!!
Release BEFORE the election.
People will learn how much of a joke our legal system is. Hey, let’s protect the names of those with money and businesses. Place our Zumba instructor in jail to keep her isolated and quiet so our so called elite can carry on with their antics while she’s in jail. Shame on her for protecting herself with video evidence. Geez, now our good ole boys can’t lie and deny and make her out to be, “The fall girl”. The names need to come out and immediately for justice to be served equally. Then again maybe the judge is on the list or knows a politician or two that are.
The phrase “scape goat” comes to mind. What is hiding under this event of smoke and mirrors? Who did this business man and woman tick off that they are to be held up for scrutiny? If find it deplorable that whenever we read about a ‘prostitution ring’ being busted, the names and pictures of the alleged prostitutes are published, yet the people who pay for the services walk away unscathed. The only way, in my no so humble opinion, that there can be a valid bust is to catch the ‘perpetrators’ in the act, or by having someone come forward who is an eye witness to the event; either way, in the case of an ‘illegal sex act’ there would by necessity have to be two people involved in that sex act. Why are only the providers arrested at the scene?
This is all you keep posting. Flagging as spam.
Maybe we need to flag it as “sperm.”
Not Guilty.
But we live in a world of double standards ,, the powers that be and those that don’t have the power :-/
Will be very ineresting to see how the powers that be use their power ??
Why?? So he isn’t the only only one with egg his face – he can share the embaressment?We might as well paint a giant letter “A” across all of their chests and outcast them from the towns then.(sarcasm)
People are so caught up in drama that they don’t care who is going to be effected when these names come out. I’m sorry, but I sure do not care either way – it should be up to the men that went there to tell their significant others what they had done, it’s not up to the public to humiliate them and outcast them because of sexual relations with a prostitute. We are in the 21st century and why is it that everyone is so shocked by this??? Even if they come out to be politians or local authorities, what have you, as long as they weren’t using public funds for their escapades, then why does it matter to the public?
Because it was illegal
Also because they may be living under duress, extorted, and that could be affecting their jobs and lives as well as their friends’ and family’s. Because those now protecting them will be under suspicion as well. Because those doing the extortion will continue. Because a lawful society cannot pick and choose for whom laws apply.
Another twist to this story. If the names are released, would that mean every Ho house and madam would include on their list of customers every police officer, politician, judge,clergyman and business man in her area? Sounds like cheap Insurance to me. Maybe even throw in a few Supreme Court Judges for good measure……………………..;-)
As soon as this whole thing hit the media, we all knew who the alleged trafficking criminals are, so the question arises: if someone is trafficking in drugs and has a list of recipients, those recipients are charged and the information is published in the media. Apparently, in the good old boy system, the ‘john’s’ are victims and should be protected?
Isn’t prostitution a misdemeanor ??? You know like “Jay Walking ” , not shoveling snow off your side walk ,, out of date plates and registration, , double parking., parking in a no parking zone., 10 miles over the speed limit … Stuff like that. Must be some ” Big Fish To Fry”. I don’t think any of these people will be convicted of anything ,let alone the misdemeanor charge which is what they can be charged with.
i would like to see a list of the names of the people who knew the bengahzi attacks were not protests and who denied security to the consulate.not as sexy,but let’s get some perspective.