XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
   XPost: alt.burningman   
   From: censor.this@bitches.com   
      
   Look who’s got words to say in his defense all of a sudden.   
      
   Almost four months after pleading guilty to having unlawful sex   
   with a minor and being sentenced to less than a year in prison,   
   Shane Sparks has written an open-letter to the world to let us   
   all know he really wasn’t responsible for taking advantage of a   
   12-year-old.   
      
   To the dance industry, peers and fans,   
      
   “Within the last few years of my life I have encountered many   
   difficulties, all while being unable to freely speak and share   
   my side of the story. The truth of the matter is that when I was   
   in my early twenties, over 17 years ago, I began seeing a young   
   lady who I thought at the time was of age. She was an employee   
   at (a well known Los Angeles) dance studio, where I was a dance   
   instructor. My biggest regret and mistake was not making sure   
   that she was over 18 when I began a physical relationship with   
   her. This young lady’s mother was fully aware and knew that her   
   daughter and I were seeing one another, and consented to the   
   relationship, while leading me to believe that her daughter was   
   older. Nevertheless, I apologize to her and her daughter for any   
   harm I may have caused them.   
      
   For a few years now, I’ve had to deal with the public   
   humiliation and personal strife of being condemned by heinous   
   and false accusations. The case is now over and I was eventually   
   charged and convicted of one count of having sexual relations   
   with a minor, and my punishment was to engage in counseling,   
   which I have already began, and I may have to complete four   
   months in a private jail facility.   
      
   After my case was over, TMZ released an inaccurate story stating   
   that there were six other ladies who had been assaulted by me   
   which is completely false. Statements by my attorney and the   
   prosecuting attorney from the District Attorney’s Office will   
   confirm how false and misleading TMZ’s story was. I am   
   disappointed and hurt that TMZ would report such a false story   
   without first checking the facts, by contacting the District   
   Attorney’s Office.   
      
   Deputy District Attorney: Alison A.W. Meyers wrote a legal   
   statement proving that I was cleared of TMZ’s accusations   
   stating that other minors came forward as victims.   
      
   “While the case was pending against Mr. Sparks, no other   
   chargeable victims ever came forward to discuss with me any   
   allegations of the defendant having (sexual encounters) with   
   them when they were underage.” – DDA Alison A.W. Meyers   
      
   I am taking all the necessary steps to move towards a positive   
   path and clear my name so I may be remembered as a man of faith,   
   and a talented dancer/choreographer, and leave behind a legacy   
   my loved one’s can be proud of. I can only hope that people will   
   finally hear my side of the story and be forgiving instead of   
   believing false accusations that the media highlights. I would   
   like to thank my family, friends, and supporters for standing by   
   my side and providing me with their strength during this trying   
   time in my life. I love you all, and will be forever grateful.”   
      
   -Shane Sparks   
      
   Yeah… you know what? Maybe you should have lead with this in   
   2009 when you first got popped.   
      
   And if you had the consent of the mother of your underage   
   girlfriend who looked six years older than she was, why would   
   your lawyer let you cop a plea instead of fighting to defend   
   yourself?   
      
      
   http://bossip.com/511380/cry-me-a-river-even-though-he-pleaded-   
   guilty-shane-sparks-says-he-didnt-do-the-grown-up-with-a-teenage-   
   girl-on-purpose12006/   
      
        
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)