PETTY-FILE UPDATE

[john crino]

Update on you know who from ROCKY RIVER.
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.a ... ryid=41383


-I have edited this title

dl meckes 10/01/05/1:11 am

[Rhonda loje]

Yeh...It was the lead story on channel 3 at 6 pm....

Rhonda Loje

[dl meckes]

It's my opinion that using the term, "promoting witchcraft " is terribly misleading. DiStasio wanted to be a part of alternative groups, including wiccans, pagans, (self-styled) anarchists, (so-called) THC Ministries, drum circles, etc.

Trying to play up some sort of witchcraft angle is nothing but fear-mongering.

There's reason enough to be worried about this guy, but "promoting witchcraft" seems impossibly lame.

If you do a Yahoo search for "Brother Petty" or "Pateticus" you'll see how varied DiStasio's interest in (again, so-called) disaffected people was. 99% of the people who interacted online with Petty are probably perfectly lovely people. Their interests may not be shared by many, but that doesn't make them bad people.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Fox 8 are the only ones to get it right.

[dl meckes]

These are the charges.

2925.02. CORRUPTING ANOTHER WITH DRUGS
2925.02.A(4)(C) CORRUPTING ANOTHER WITH DRUGS
2925.02.A(4)(C) CORRUPTING ANOTHER WITH DRUGS
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.05.A(4) GROSS SEXUAL IMPOSITION
2925.02.A(4)(C) CORRUPTING ANOTHER WITH DRUGS
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2925.02.A(4)(C) CORRUPTING ANOTHER WITH DRUGS
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2925.02.A(4)(C) CORRUPTING ANOTHER WITH DRUGS
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.31 DISSEMINATING MATTER HARMFUL TO JUVENILES
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2907.02.A(1)(B) RAPE
2923.24 POSSESSING CRIMINAL TOOLS
2907.322 PANDERING SEXUALLY ORIENTED MATTER INVOLVING A MINOR

ARRAIGNMENT SET FOR 10/03/2005 AT 08:30 AM IN ROOM CP ARRAIGNMENT ROOM JC 12FL

[Grace O'Malley]

What puzzles me about this story:

Apparently, two different families chose to drop these boys off at this young man's apartment and expected that he would "teach" the boys for some period of time during the day.

There are usually school or social service agency services available for autistic children. What would make these parents choose not to take advantage of established programs and instead get involved with an obviously shady situation? Did they bother at all to investigate this man before leaving their precious child with him? Did he really have a track record working with children that could be verified with references? What was his educational background?

From what I have read, a moderately intelligent person would be able to discern that something was not quite right with this Distasio.

I find it appalling that the parents exerted so little effort insuring that their child was adequately cared for and placed in a safe situation. That, to me, borders on parental neglect.

What a sad situation for these children.

[Jim O'Bryan]

What puzzles me about this story:

Apparently, two different families chose to drop these boys off at this young man's apartment and expected that he would "teach" the boys for some period of time during the day.

Grace

Always nice to see you posting.

You have hit the nail on the head yet one more time. Like the Michael Jackson story Phase II. The parents are the interesting part of this story and is something we are looking into at the Observer in a general story we are working on.

For some strange reason if you mention "alternative" and "pagan drumming" Gen X parents line up to offer their children. Now I grew up very anti-establishment, but never have seen anything like this. While doing follow up on Phil Distasio, I have run into more than one parent that was "wooed" by his snake oil pitch for educating kids.

But that is the tip of the iceberg, from what Phill told us in our three interviews he had spoken with ALL TV channels, ALL Print media, and was welcomed by many businesses in the city.

This is a very troubling when one takes a step back and looks at the big picture.

[Grace O'Malley]

Today's PD mentions "slumber parties." Slumber parties with kids and grown men ala Michael Jackson?

On another note, I'm glad dl made the observation about witchcraft because it's very important to keep from lumping all of the alternative ideas that Distasio spouted into the same cesspool that he came from.

For example, the PD and the TV news keep saying he ran a "home school."
I contend that he ran NO school. A home school is a family that educates their own children in their own home. An "alternative" school is a legitimate, licensed school that offers a curriculum and follows state guidelines; for example, the Lyceum in Little Italy. Parents who choose these type of alternative educations for their children are usually thoughtful and involved parents who truly want the best for their child. In fact, any family in Lakewood who wishes to home school is required by law to notify the Lakewood School Board and ask for approval of the alternative program they wish to pursue. Lakewood has many successful home schooling families. In most cases, the school board is quite accommodating, but they have a duty to insure that the child will receive adequate training and they take that duty seriously.

I'd like to know if these children were receiving social services and if the school board was notified of their educational plans. I would not be surprised if the parents neglected to follow proper procedures.

Calling what he did a "school" of any kind legitimizes his actions and taints the words "home school." He had nothing to offer and therefore was not conducting anything more than a "Class Cutting" service. How these parents were duped would certainly make an interesting story, but I fear it will be a very sad tale indeed.

[Stephen Calhoun]

Is it time for the LO to plug the true narrative about how Petty was smoked out by civic inquiry and community journalism into the investigative flow of the mainstream media?

Already there is a current of misinformation, starting with the errant revelation that the RR Police learned of Petty from suspicious mothers/neighbors. The witchcraft meme doesn't fly at all because Petty's own belief-leanings were completely hermetic, self-serving, incoherent, and, found their traction, as DL and others have pointed out, in a retailing of current counter-culture memes.

My sense is that the accurate narrative will soon be subsumed by the reductive spin of sensationalizing reportage.

At that point, ironically enough, the reportage becomes part of the very reductions and "lack of suspicion" that allowed Petty to fly for many months on the radar screen as some big colorful bird rather than the vulture he turned out to be.

If the narrative is worth sustaining as a truthful one, (and it is and this fits in with the lawful kernal,) then the LO might open up the circuit connecting its efforts in this case with the efforts of the mainstream media.

I don't expect the regional media to understand what the sharp point of civic investigation is about. It doesn't necessarily make their version of the story better, although of course it makes it more truthful AND it's possible somebody might get it.

Still, as I view it, another great reason to plug the truth in is that it allows what we've learned to get pulled through the region in some way or the other and it's a way, then, to provide some valuable methods to other communities.

Maybe Mike Gill is posed to scoop all the other channels and cause the Free Times to tell the story about Petty's downfall truthfully. ...be a good feather in his hat.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Stephen

Is right, it would make an interesting story. I was speaking with Suzanne Metleko and Steve Davis last night. I mentioned that they were heroes and they wondered why. I mentioned that it was them, that first uncovered "Brother Petty."

The actual chain of events was Dan Slife ran into Brother Petty, and started the drill down. Dan's keen sense of awareness and street life told him things were not right. Wanting to do a story Dan mentioned the Observer. Petty mentioned other sites in Lakewood he frequented by wanted to hook up with the Observer because of our large audience and the 15,000 papers we put on the street. He thought it would be perfect to sell "Class Cutters."

When he signed on Suzanne, Steve and many other members sent email wondering why ANYONE would use a faux name and that The Observer had set the bar higher. As that is our only rule, the advisory board agreed at our meeting.

We then sent Phil a letter asking for proof of his real name. The answer came back, "Well as soon as I can afford it." The reaction of the advisory board was swift and immediate. The website is built on trust and respect. If someone is willing to take ownership of their thoughts, we allow it on the board. Very simple, very straight forward.

That morning we decided to drop him from the board. As we left to do one of Stephen Calhoun's polling exercises, Brother Petty would be run from the board.

After a good day of asking Lakewood people what they thought we were relaxing at Phoenix Coffee when an odd character walked in and said, "you must be the Observers." We turned and asked who he was and he said, "Brother Petty."

The rest is history.

This is truly a case of Open source discussion and journalism protecting a city.

[Stephen Calhoun]

Jim. Yeah yeah, so what do YOU THINK? Do you intentionally plug into a trustable circuit. Gill? Someone else?

I'm suggesting that the true story find its way to the leading edge of what will eventually be a story well outside of any open source control.

The funny thing is: the 'big' media in Cleveland may botch the story. This is a story too. But it's the innovative civic journalism that could key a very smart story. Heck, it's the better story! We're sitting on a scoop if this is to travel more widely. In fact, with a bit of a push it could travel beyond Cleveland because I've been tracking the independent newspaper circuits just to see when the LO pops up on their radar screens.

Concrete answer requested..':roll:'

[Jim O'Bryan]

The funny thing is: the 'big' media in Cleveland may botch the story. This is a story too. But it's the innovative civic journalism that could key a very smart story. Heck, it's the better story! We're sitting on a scoop if this is to travel more widely. In fact, with a bit of a push it could travel beyond Cleveland because I've been tracking the independent newspaper circuits just to see when the LO pops up on their radar screens.

Concrete answer requested..':roll:'

This is the story, how EVERYONE and now the media has blown the coverage, and the facts. When you think about what we try to go through to get a story right, and when you see what the "pros" end up with I have to say open source civic journalism wins hands down.

[Stephen Calhoun]

Civic Journalism for which facts are key, and, just as important, for which lots of time is key too, does win hands down...when both are the keys.

My questions is: should the Lakewood Observer now help those in the media, or, a chosen person (such as Gill,) or a TV station, (such as Fox,) get this story right before it gets a life of its own?

Right now there are competing narratives about what were the FACTS and the TIMING of law enforcement coming to learn of this menace to society.

Was it neighbors in Rocky River before Slife? Was it Julie at the Phoenix before Slife? When did RRPD and/or LPD receive actionable information?

The mainstream regional media isn't drilling down to the Slife moment let alone to the Lakewood Observer moment in the timeline. I'm told Fox is closest.

But this is a 60 Minutes scale story when you come down to it. Run it to The Free Times flag pole or run it elsewhere?

We're open source right now--in my asking Jim.

[Kenneth Warren]

Bill Sheil, Fox 8, visited me today at Lakewood Public Library to inquire about my first encounter with Distasio, my reaction to his website and my role as advisor to the Lakewood Observer.

I explained the open source communications model of the Lakewood Observer and the opportunity thereby provided to the Lakewood Public Library to promote its mission and program, while building civic intelligence and telling stories through participation in the paper.

I told him since he's here I wanted Fox 8 to get the story right. I clarified that Distasio's blog was not on the library's computer and that he was not thrown out of the library. I covered Lakewood Observer's "real name" posting rule, and that Distasio did not want to comply.

I told him Dan Slife had smoked out Brother Petty's real name, and that LO researchers drilled into past history on the Internet.

I provided him with material that documented the Lakewood Observer's Initial Inquiry in Brother Petty - Phillip J. Distasio, which I had provided to Rocky River Police.

I told him I would provide this open source documentation to any news organization.

So the Lakewood Observer time-line for encountering Distasio is in the mainstream media now.

I hope Fox 8 credits the Lakewood Observer properly tonight at 6.

Kenneth Warren

[dl meckes]

We later learned that DiStasio tried to change his name to Pateticus, but the judge wouldn't bite.

When Petty signed in with the alias, Jim and I began a discussion about what to do. I began to do searches on him and Dan Slife shared what he knew. We were aware that this person was holding himself out to the community using that name. It absolutley helped the process that Suzanne Metelko & Steve Davis put more pressure on Jim, but we had hesitated banning him because we wanted to learn more. Learn more we did.

We banned him just before Jim, Kenneth & Stephen met him at the Phoenix on Saturday, June 25th. He had one last post, using a different alias (I hadn't banned his IP address) that afternoon. He was (very) briefly reactivated because we didn't know whether he might want to flee. He tried to sign in with another alias on June 27th (IIRC, from the library).

We were all disturbed enough by DiStasio's remarks (or the reports thereof) that we encouraged Jim to go talk with Brian Corrigan on June 26th, the Sunday morning after Jim, Kenneth & Stephen's encounter.

Slife had another discussion with him (when he gave up his real name) on June 26th. Dan Slife emailed during the conversation at the Phoenix, "I saw his Ohio Drivers License. His name is PHILLIP J DISTASIO. Born 1971. It looks legit. He said he'd leave town if we bought the ticket."

Once we had his real name, Stephen & I continued our search for more background information. On the morning of June 27th, Jim got the call from the detectives.

Almost one month to the day, Rocky River brought charges.

Meanwhile, DiStasio was complaining about everything, begging Jim to "call off your bulldog" (meaning Slife - who will forever be affectionately referred to by that moniker). He'd written, "Do you mean to tell me that after everything I've done to extend the hand of friendship so that I can try to work *with* the City of Lakewood and the Lakewood Observer instead of having to go up against it all the time...you're going to trash that all for the sake of a name on a message board?

Methinks you have your priorities a little skewed."

Jim informed him that we had turned over whatever information we had to the police and he continued to complain.

So yes, we're a little skewed about not hiding behind fake identities on the Observation Deck. Jim mentioned that there were plenty of places where DiStasio could chat under a pseudonym, but we have strongly believed from the beginning that it's counter productive.

Now that another month has passed and more charges have been filed, we find out that DiStasio worked for (and was fired by) the County (probably where the Autistic kids were involved) and the YMCA.

The other issue I wanted to address has to do with the parents. DiStasio had access to children under very "safe" circumstances (P.E.P. & the "Y"). before he tried to start "Class-Cutters." Many people have spoken with and spent time with DiStasio and come away thinking he's benign.

The guy very carefully targeted (and groomed) people and was a very facile manipulator. He's a con man. He went to incredible lengths to put forth this whole "Brother Petty" persona. He worked on this scheme for years. He knew that he wanted to find a place for his "school" in a particular area of Lakewood because he'd done his homework and believed he could find more kids (and parents) who fit into his "profile".

Grace is absolutely correct in saying that "home-schooling" has nothing at all to do with what "Class-Cutters" was about, but DiStasio knew how to answer questions; he knew the right things to say. He'd worked in alternative education programs. He'd spent seven years in college.

Smart people get conned every day. Would any of us have really believed, for instance, the widespread abuse within some Catholic churches?

I'm pretty sure DiStasio had no idea what hit him when he started talking to Slife, O'Bryan, Warren & Calhoun (although he was warned...).