Esau Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 wnbc Band's Bassist Gordon Accused Of Child Endangerment POSTED: 10:22 p.m. EDT August 18, 2003 UPDATED: 12:07 a.m. EDT August 19, 2003 NEW YORK -- A Phish is on the hook for endangering the welfare of a minor after he allegedly tried to take pictures of a young girl inside a deserted boathouse. But following private conversations between the band's manager and the child's parents, there's a question about whether the band's bassist, Mike Gordon, will avoid facing that charge. Gordon, 38, was arrested after being found late at night in a secluded area with a 9-year-old girl. The girl's parents raised an alarm when she disappeared from a backstage area at Jones Beach Theater. New York State Park Police say Gordon showed a different side after a concert last week by The Dead. Investigators say Gordon -- who calls himself "Cactus" -- was an invited guest backstage at Jones Beach. He was not invited, they say, to take a 9-year-old girl to an isolated location behind the theater. "The area is actually like a work area for state employees who operate boats out of that area," said Maj. Richard O'Donnell, of the New York State Park Police. "It's a darkened area, not intended for public access." O'Donnell, who is the region's commanding officer, would not discuss what the bass player told officers when he was found with the child on a dock. But a police report obtained by NewsChannel 4 reveals "The defendant stated he wanted to take 'art photos' of the victim." Police confirm that Gordon has never been convicted of any crime. Law enforcement sources said that after the band member was arrested, he told officers, "I may have shown bad judgment, but I am not a pedophile." The Law enforcement sources identify the girl's father as a leader of the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club, whom they say had also been invited backstage to watch The Dead concert. Gordon was held for police by theater security "and the victim's father's associates -- which the police report decribes as other Hell's Angels members. When responding to a request for an interview, Phish's manager e-mailed a joint statement from Gordon and the child's parents that reads: "It is now clear to all involved that this was an unfortunate misunderstanding, and we look forward to putting this matter behind us." Later, in a conference call, the manager said Gordon's trying to "make amends" with the family. The girl's father added that "muckraking journalists should put the story to rest." Both declined to discuss whether the musician is paying compensation. When asked by NewsChannel 4 if there was any reasonable explanation for Gordon to have been with the girl at 1:00 AM in a secluded boat house, Maj. O'Donnell of the State Park Police said "I have no explanation for it." The commander says he "absolutely" stands by the police investigation and has referred the bass player's boathouse rendezvous case to the Nassau County district attorney for prosecution. The DA's office says the evidence is being evaluated. Regardless of whether Gordon has to face a judge next month, law-enforcement sources say unofficial justice was already delivered. The Hell's Angels, who detained Gordon for police, were not, the sources say, gentle with sensitive areas of the rock star's body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 holy shit. i'm rooting for ya cactus; you better be tellin' the truth though. ad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 The Law enforcement sources identify the girl's father as a leader of the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club, whom they say had also been invited backstage to watch The Dead concert. wrong people to fuck with mike! as proven here... The Hell's Angels, who detained Gordon for police, were not, the sources say, gentle with sensitive areas of the rock star's body. if they were just photos for a shoot...why didn't he just ask permission from the parents??? this is just too messed up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 It's refreshing to see that the Dead still keep in touch with their old friends: Hell's Angels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 i havnt seen any statement on phish.com this can't be good for sales of his new album that's coming out soon. i think he'd better say something and fuckin quick will this jeopardize a dec tour? no rumoured acc/copps/corel centre shows? nye in miami? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 You are right to be concerned Chewie. Even though Pete Townshend was exonerated, the scandal surrounding his case has virtually ruined his career and has affected The Who and Townshend's record sales and future projects. Oh yeah, to all those Phishheads who made jokes about the Townshend case: It's not funny now is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 jaimoe, gimme your snail mail addy...i have something to send to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 davidbal@citytv.com Hey Chewie, the next time I see you I'm going to give you a bootleg of a WP show that I have. It's from '99. Thanks again for getting me in to the meet-and-greet. I got my pictures developed last week. I'll make some extras for you too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 my opinion: no grown man takes a 9 year old that isn't his anywhere!! Regardless of what you want to believe, regardless of what his true intentions are.... IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A GROWN MAN TO GO OFF WITH A STRANGERS 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WITHOUT HER PARENTS PERMISSION AT 1 OCLOCK IN THE MORNING WITH A CAMERA!!! Mike being a "weirdo" is absolutely NO excuse! Just because his mind may work a bit different does not mean he can't/shouldn't be held accountable for his inappropriate actions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinw Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 Who is to say that Mike needs to apologize for anything? He already stated he acted with bad judgement but that nothing happened. Why not leave it at that. It is the muckraking journalists hungry for anything controversial who bring this crap up. Most of the crap you read in the paper is so spun away from the reality of the sotry that it is almost fiction. There is nothing to say that Miuke did anything wrong at all. For all we know the girl agreed to go and have her photos taken, or the parents gave permission. I am not going to take the word of some chump from the paper about what happened, especially since he wasn't there. I would think that all of you anti-authority types on here would be rallying for the cause of "innocent until proven guilty"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 quote:Originally posted by secondtube: IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A GROWN MAN TO GO OFF WITH A STRANGERS 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WITHOUT HER PARENTS PERMISSION AT 1 OCLOCK IN THE MORNING WITH A CAMERA!!! st...i could not agree w/ you more on this. and colinw...i'm all for giving the person the benefit of the doubt and i firmly believe in innocent until proven otherwise... BUT as a father of a beautiful 3 year old boy...i'd be fuckin mad as hell if anyone took him for whatever reason w/out my permission. becoming a parent really changes your perspective but i'm just saying what he did was HIGHLY inappropriate but not illegal (that's for the da's office and the courts to decide) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 quote: Who is to say that Mike needs to apologize for anything? He already stated he acted with bad judgement but that nothing happened. Why not leave it at that. so i take a little girl into a bathroom ready to do whatever i was going to do, but then i have second thoughts. so i return the little girl to their parents. i'm not responsible for anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B & Z Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 Guilty of bad judgement and possibly "bad thoughts" neither of which is a crime. Unlike Townsend who is not only guilty of both, but also of a real crime, whether he was charged or not (my opinions, not Norm's). Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyRage Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 Finally, I can agree with second tube. It is one of the first thing any social worker, teahcer or counsellor learns: Do not put yourself in any situation where it can even appear that there may be improprieties. This is a hard and fast rule in the days of lawsuits and political correctness. And for a good reason: Kids are not always quick to admit when bad things happen, and you do;t know wh out there is a predator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 quote:Originally posted by B & Z: Guilty of bad judgement and possibly "bad thoughts" neither of which is a crime. Unlike Townsend who is not only guilty of both, but also of a real crime, whether he was charged or not (my opinions, not Norm's). Steve You are rambling B & Z. The above sentences don't make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\/\/illy Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 You know, maybe Mike is a weirdo. Maybe he had bad intentions with a 9-year old girl. I makes me sad that that could be the case. Not because it's Mike Gordon, but because it happened. One the other hand, a story like this is so easy to twist around. Let's see here: It's a Dead show. It's backstage. It's 1:00am. The Dead are there. Part of Phish is there. The Hell's Angels are there. This is a party, and probably one with some pretty crazy shit going on. Now, we have a 9-year old girl who is the daughter of a Hell's Angel. This girl has probably seen a few things in her life (forgive me if you feel this is stereotyping). So, you have Mike, maybe bored, maybe not into that scene (does he have kids - maybe relating to one). There's old boathouses just behind the stage that look interesting. They walk back there and she decides she'd like her picture in front of one of them. All of a sudden: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BACK THERE? The story becomes 'art pictures' and 'darkened area' and '9-year old' and possibly blown out of proportion. And, possibly a very unfortunate event for Mike. Am I the only one that thinks it's alittle bit sad that we are so hyper-sensitive to things that the only thing a man and a 9-year old child could be up to is something wrong? Maybe they struck up a friendship! Is that impossible to comprehend? I don't know what Mike was up to and whether he should have been doing it. I do know that it makes me sad that we live in a world where we have to jump to conclusions like this in order to protect the children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 why did mike say "I may have shown bad judgment, but I am not a pedophile." he knew, when caught, what he did was wrong. obviously he did. he's an adult. not to mention this was known well before the article, people saw it happen back stage. i've been talking to this chick via email who was backstage, and saw the same thing. apparently gordo was 'escorted' to a waiting copcar just so he wouldn't get beaten even worse. and from what i understand, he was 'beaten'. his genitals were 'disrupted'. apparently he was VERY close to meeting a brick first hand. when i posted info on this under phishy rumors over a week ago, i didn't continue. i wasn't sure if the person i was communicating with was right. but everything she has told me was exactly what i've read. its a weird situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau Posted August 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Jaimoe: Oh yeah, to all those Phishheads who made jokes about the Townshend case: It's not funny now is it? Yep. You said it there bro, I am kinda shocked how folks have kinda accepted this as just "bad judgement",but were ready to lynch Townsend. I hope its not true,really,but no ,matter what,its just not right to wander off to soem dark secluded place during a concert of all things to suddenly want to take pictures!??For some reason I have trouble wrapping my head around it,artist or not,why would you want to do that then? I found it strange that on another board(not here or jamhub) that people are trying to shift the blame over to the family since its the president of the Hells Angels,if this was some average Joe and some average family what do you think would be happening right now to the guy who wandered off with a 9 year old girl to some secluded boat house without asking the permission of the family or letting them know about these "art pictures"??? I was brought up with bikers in my famiuly,uncles etc...it just makes me angry to see the blame being put on them,because of who they are...just as the blame being deverted from Gordon because people feel he is an artist.Think about how many pedophiles call the sick shit they have (as in pictures) art. I am not saying he is guilty just that I am appalled that people(not here but on another site) actually justify it with comments like "Mike is just being Mike"....come on thats freaking stupid and bias. What if it was the average Joe...what dop you think would happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 greg, how would one respond to this: "Isn't being the daughter of a crank dealing, partying Hell's Angel leader sort of living in child endangerment all the time?" i dont agree with the guy. but isn't it kinda true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwa. Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 st, i think he said that because he shouldn't have been, in retrospect, back there with a young girl but i really think Willy is on to something. It was probably some crazy party backstage and everything was innocent until it was misconstrued by an onlooker. but you never know, so we should never pass judgement on this one good or bad, because we REALLY don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooly Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 townshend was wrong,, so was mike, if his intentions were bad,, it sure seems like it though. i want to believe him, that he was just taking photos, and not being a pedo,, but who knows, i wasnt there,, and im not gonna believe mikeys story so you guys can all rag on me for being a phishphan. i guess time will tell i hope he is innocent, and i hope the girl is ok and wasnt abused. steve that logo is fucking horrible dude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Tooly: steve that logo is fucking horrible dude LOL! he says things we all think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondtube Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 quote: my sources...my good friend of 7 years...my friends uncle (head of mounted police) & jones beach security guard...friend of friend.... mike was giving everyone under the sun (from adults to kids) rides on his IT segway....silly lil scooter.....the mother of the 9 yr old allowed this to happen.....this "Secluded Boathouse", is neither secluded or a boathouse..there was two normal jones beach secuirty guards there...in case people wanna sneak into the show...(secret entrance).... mike was just taking pictures of the girl on his segway....not good judement , but nothing to get crazy about... ...after ten minutes the girls mother starts freakin out..."were's my daughter"....(mind you the mother was induced with something, eyes bulging, lip biting..typical white trash mom)....mother calls her husband, a hells angel....ten minutes later there are 5 angels making there way through security.....mike is confronted...grabbed by the thoat and on his knees getting kicked at......the VIP security guards got in the middle and explained that mike was a celeb, and was a film maker.....the funniest part is this...the angels wanted to break his segway, so the one secuirty guard put it in his car and its been sitting in wantagh for the last week and a half.....after all of this the daughter explained nothing happended and that was that...long story short...bad judgement, unlucky for mike the girls dad was a druggy/hells angel, a quick rush to judgement, few kicks to the nizzuts,,,,"my bad"....move on.... another side of the story....dont worry, i'll keep looking and try to keep us updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\/\/illy Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 I agreee: Steve, that logo is uncalled for. It is so dangerous assigning guild based on the media representation. I don't care if you are talking to someone that was backstage. What'd they see him do? Get beaten? So what? Did the Hell's Angels have a trial for Mike backstage? This is it for Mike: You don't escape this sort of thing with your image intact. His character has been forever slandered, it doesn't matter what the courts decide. If he had bad intentions with that girl then he deserves it. If he went for a walk with someone he connected with to check out a cool boathouse and wanted pictures of it and it got all blown out of proportion then I feel so bad for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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