(P69,L7-25,P70,L1-25,P71,L1-21)
SMITH: "Ms. Hamilton, would you please state your full name?"
HAMILTON: "Judy Hamilton."
SMITH: "And where do you reside, ma'am?"
HAMILTON: "New London, Texas."
SMITH: "And are you familiar or have a relationship with Mr. Al Petty?"
HAMILTON: "Yes, sir, I do."
SMITH: "And you know the nature of the proceedings here today?"
HAMILTON: "Yes, sir, I do."
SMITH: "It's my understanding you want to address the Court on Mr. Petty's behalf."
HAMILTON: "Yes, sir. . . MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH AL FOR MANY YEARS."
My husband went to Viet Nam. Then when he came home, he went to Al's night club or I should say dinner club and he was lost in this world. And he told me, he said, "Judy, when I went there I FELT LIKE SOMEBODY CARED FOR ME AND IT WAS AL".My husband and I have lived in New London, Texas, for 25 years and Al - - we had a western store and Al came to town, and my husband was speaking to him. And I said, Honey, who is this guy, and he said, Judy, that is the man I told you that I felt so good when I was there because I felt like somebody cared about me, and - - when I would go over and visit at the dinner club. And he said he is a wonderful man.. . . he was - - just seemed like he was coming back home to where he wanted to be.. . . We bought him a mobile home to live in.Al said I will pay you back, George. We didn't question him. He paid every dime that he had borrowed back to us.HE WAS A MAN OF HIS WORD, AND WE DID NOT GO TO CHURCH AT that time, my husband and I. I'm sorry to say, Judge, . . .but Al - - HE ATE MANY DINNERS AT MY HOME THAT I WAS SO PRIVILEGED TO COOK FOR HIM.". . HE DID NOT PREACH GOD IN OUR HOME TO JUST SAY YOU ARE A SINNER. HE DIDN'T DO IT THAT WAY. HE JUST - - WE KNEW THAT HE WAS A CHILD OF GOD.That night when he left on a Saturday night, I'll never forget it. I turned to my husband and I said, Honey, let's go to church today. He said where do you want to go, and I said let's go where Al's going. And we went and we got saved.And I thank you today, Al. You didn't ask us to go. You just said "I've got to go now because I have to go to church".I appreciate all the tapes that you have given to us, Al. I thank you for your music.AND I WILL SPEAK FOR MY HUSBAND. I WILL SPEAK FOR MY SON. WE LOVE YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.AND I WILL ASK THE COURT TODAY TO PLEASE GIVE CONSIDERATION TO MR. PETTY. MY HEART IS TROUBLED, AND I - - I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING THAT HURT ME SO BAD. I GUESS I HAVEN'T KNOWN ANYBODY THAT FACED PRISON. BUT I PRAY TODAY THE BLESSINGS ON HIM AND THE BLESSINGS ON ALL OF YOU."HANNAH: "Questions?"
KENNER: "No questions, Your Honor."
HANNAH: "You may step down, ma'am."
*****
COMMENT: Now, to show just how terribly inefficient, unprepared and unconcerned that JOHN R. SMITH was, compare the following Hypothetical of "THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN" with the above actual transcript of JUDY HAMILTON'S testimony as conducted by JOHN R. SMITH:
FOLLOWING IS HYPOTHETICAL TESTIMONY OF "THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN" WITH TESTIMONY of JUDY HAMILTON. (DERIVED FROM COMMUNICATIONS WITH JUDY HAMILTON)
SMITH: "I BELIEVE THAT YOU DROVE AL PETTY TO THE HEARING THIS MORNING; IS THAT CORRECT?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR, THAT'S THE LEAST I COULD DO FOR A FRIEND".
SMITH: "DO YOU AND AL PETTY LIVE IN THE SAME AREA?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR, MY HUSBAND GEORGE AND I LIVE IN NEW LONDON AND THAT'S ABOUT 7 MINUTES FROM AL, WHO LIVES IN THE COUNTRY, JUST OUT OF OVERTON."
SMITH: "DOES YOUR HUSBAND SHARE YOUR VIEWS OF, AND RELATIONSHIP WITH, MR. PETTY?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR; IN FACT IT WAS MY HUSBAND WHO INTRODUCED ME TO AL PETTY."
SMITH: "WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH MR. PETTY?"
HAMILTON: "I BELIEVE IT WAS IN 1987 - THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 16 YEARS AGO, BUT GEORGE HAS KNOWN HIM SINCE 1968 - GUESS THAT'S ABOUT 35 YEARS."
SMITH: "WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT THE TIME YOU MET MR. PETTY?"
HAMILTON: "MY HUSBAND AND I OWNED A VERY NICE WESTERN WEAR STORE IN OVERTON. EVERYONE HAS TOLD US THAT OUR STORE WAS JUST IN TOO SMALL AN AREA, THAT A STORE LIKE OURS WOULD HAVE REALLY DONE WELL IN A METROPOLITAN AREA. BUT, LIKE AL PETTY, WE WANTED TO DO WELL AND HELP GEORGE'S AND AL'S HOMETOWN OF OVERTON."
SMITH: "DID YOU ASK MR. PETTY TO HELP YOU GET BUSINESS INTO YOUR STORE?"
HAMILTON: "YES, AND HE DID THAT."
SMITH: "WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT IT?"
HAMILTON: "I'D BE GLAD TO. MY HUSBAND REMINDED AL OF WHEN HE OWNED A NIGHT CLUB, 20 YEARS BEFORE THAT, IN LONGVIEW. HE SAID THAT "THE AL PERRY, (that was Al's entertainment name, AL PERRY), COUNTRY MUSIC CLUB" WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT AL PETTY HAD A T.V. SHOW EVERY WEEK ON KLTV-CH.7- IN TYLER. GEORGE SAID THAT AL PETTY HAD A LOT OF SPONSORS, LIKE, THE CADILLAC DEALER, 'LIVELY OLDS - CADILLAC' IN LONGVIEW, AND THAT IT SEEMED LIKE THAT AL REALLY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING HIS SPONSORS GET MORE BUSINESS.
SO GEORGE REMINDED AL OF THAT AFTER HE CAME HOME TO LIVE IN OVERTON IN 1987. HE ASKED AL IF HE COULD DO ANYTHING TO HELP BRING BUSINESS INTO OVERTON, NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT FOR THE WHOLE TOWN. AT THE TIME, AL HAD GIVEN UP EVERYTHING TO DEVOTE FULL TIME TO DEVELOPING HIS INSTRUMENT, THE STEEL GUITORCHESTA, THAT REVEREND LEWIS WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT. HE WAS LIVING IN THE WOODS IN A LITTLE 78' WINNEBAGO "MOTOR-HOME-OFFICE" THAT HE SLEPT IN - ON A 3" PAD OVER THE DRIVER'S SEAT - LIVING ONLY WITH HIS DOBERMAN DOG, 'LADY T', HE CALLED HER. BUT AL TOLD GEORGE HE WOULD THINK ABOUT IT AND GET BACK TO US. HE CAME BACK TO US PRETTY SOON AND SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO START A REMOTE RADIO SHOW ON KGRI IN HENDERSON. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD BE SINGING AND DEMONSTRATING HIS STEEL GUITORCHESTRA ON THE ONE HOUR PROGRAM THAT HE WOULD HAVE EVERY WEEK. AT THAT TIME AL WAS STILL MINISTERING AND GIVING CONCERTS ON THE PTL NETWORK WITH JIM AND TAMMY BAKKER, AND ALL OF THE MUSIC WAS TO BE GOSPEL. HE SAID HE WOULD INVITE GOSPEL SINGERS FROM EVERYWHERE TO BE HIS GUESTS. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE WOULD CONDUCT A "CHRISTIAN SEARCH FOR TALENT" LIKE HE HAD BEEN DOING SINCE THE 50'S, AND GIVE THE WINNER A RECORDING SESSION AND TAPE RELEASE ON HIS RECORD LABEL, 'LOVE RECORDS'.
WHEN HE SAID HE WAS ACCEPTING SPONSORS, I BELIEVE THAT 'HAMILTON'S WESTERN WEAR' WAS ONE OF HIS FIRST SPONSORS. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WERE 25 BUSINESSES IN OUR LITTLE TOWN OF 2,000, BUT AL TALKED TO 25 BUSINESSES AND SIGNED UP 24 OF THEM AS SPONSORS. THE ONLY ONE THAT TURNED HIM DOWN WAS NOT LOCALLY OWNED, SO THEY COULDN'T BE A SPONSOR. LIKE PROF. CUNNINGHAM SAID, AL PETTY WAS A SUPER SALESMAN, BUT UNLIKE WHAT CUNNINGHAM SAID, AL PETTY DELIVERED ON EVERY PROMISE!"
KENNER: "OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR - RELEVANCY!"
HANNAH: "OBJECTION OVERRULED! THIS IS NOT ONLY INTERESTING, SHE IS DOING WHAT A CHARACTER WITNESS IS SUPPOSED TO DO, THAT IS, SHE IS GIVING THE COURT HER IMPRESSION OF WHETHER AL PETTY IS A 'MENACE TO SOCIETY' OR A 'BLESSING TO SOCIETY'. HER TESTIMONY, AS WELL AS THE TESTIMONIES OF THE OTHERS, WILL INFLUENCE MY DECISIONS REGARDING AL PETTY'S SENTENCE AND FREEDOM. I REMIND YOU THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS HEARING IS ALL ABOUT. IT'S A 'SENTENCING HEARING', SO LET'S HEAR WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY. WE'RE NOT HERE TO SAVE TIME, BUT TO SAVE LIVES. MS. HAMILTON, PLEASE CONTINUE."
HAMILTON: "THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. WHERE WAS I? OH YEAH, AL PETTY ALSO PROMISED US THAT HE WOULD WRITE, SING AND PRODUCE A MUSICAL COMMERCIAL - I THINK HE CALLED THAT A 'JINGLE' - FOR EVERYONE OF HIS 24 SPONSORS."
SMITH: "DID MR. PETTY DO EVERYTHING HE PROMISED YA'LL HE WOULD DO? IN OTHER WORDS, DID HE HAVE THE RADIO SHOW EVERY WEEK?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR, HE DID!"
SMITH: "DID HE WRITE A 'JINGLE' FOR EVERY SPONSOR?"
HAMILTON: "HE SURE DID - HE WROTE US A GOOD ONE!"
SMITH: "DID HE DEMONSTRATE HIS STEEL GUITORCHESTRA ON THE SHOW?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR. WELL, HE TRIED, BUT HE WASN'T FINISHED WITH IT - THAT TOOK ABOUT 6 MORE YEARS - SO IT DIDN'T WORK A LOT OF THE TIMES. HE WOULD BE UPSET ABOUT IT, BUT HE WOULD GO STRAIGHT BACK TO THE WOODS TO WORK ON IT AFTER HE FINISHED THE RADIO SHOW."
SMITH: "I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT MR. PETTY SAID HE WAS GOING TO HAVE GUESTS AND CONDUCT A 'SEARCH FOR TALENT'? DID HE DO THAT ALSO, AND HOW DID THAT WORK?"
HAMILTON: "WOW! IT WAS GREAT! HE HELD THE CONTESTS IN OUR MUNICIPAL PARK, RIGHT BY THE LAKE, UNDER THE PAVILION. PEOPLE CAME FROM EVERYWHERE! HE HAD SINGERS COME THERE FROM ALL OVER TEXAS, I REMEMBER A REAL GOOD GIRL SINGER THAT CAME ALL THE WAY FROM ARKANSAS. HE TAPED THE CONTESTS AND THEY PLAYED THEM BACK ON THE RADIO. IT WAS A BIG SUCCESS, AND MORE FUN THAN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING I'VE EVER DONE!"
SMITH: "I GUESS THE BOTTOM LINE WAS, 'DID IT WORK'?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR. I BELIEVE HE HAD THAT RADIO SHOW AND CONTEST FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS, AND IT BROUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER INTO OUR TOWN OF OVERTON."
SMITH: "AS YOU KNOW, DURING THE TRIAL, THE PROSECUTION CHARGED REPEATEDLY THAT AL PETTY DECEIVED PEOPLE, AND DEFRAUDED THEM OUT OF THEIR MONEY - - -"
KENNER: "OBJECTION YOUR HONOR - 'LEADING THE WITNESS'."
SMITH: "YOUR HONOR, I'M JUST STATING THE FACTS, DOING MY JOB FOR MY CLIENT TO SHOW THAT MR. PETTY IS NOT A MENACE TO SOCIETY, HOPING TO PROVE THAT IN SUCH A MANNER THAT YOU WILL SENTENCE HIM TO AS LITTLE TIME AS IS REQUIRED BY THE LAW."
HANNAH: "OBJECTION OVERRULED; CONTINUE ON, MR. SMITH TO REPRESENT YOUR CLIENT."
SMITH: "WHAT I WAS GETTING AT, YOUR HONOR, WAS THIS QUESTION, MS. HAMILTON, AT ANY TIME DURING THE PAST 15 TO 30 YEARS, DO YOU OR YOUR HUSBAND FEEL THAT MR. PETTY HAS EVER DECEIVED OR DEFRAUDED YA'LL?"
HAMILTON: "CERTAINLY NOT, AL PETTY HAS COME THROUGH EVERY TIME, JUST LIKE HE SAID HE WOULD. WHY I REMEMBER ONE TIME THAT GEORGE AND I, WHEN WE KNEW HE NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THAT WINNEBAGO INTO A HOME, THAT WE LOANED HIM $10,000 TO HELP HIM GET A MOBILE HOME. GEORGE EVEN SET IT UP, WITH THE WATER AND SEPTIC TANK AND EVERYTHING, FOR AL. AND HE PAID US BACK EVERY DIME, ON TIME OR BEFORE THAT IT WAS DUE. NO, HE CERTAINLY NEVER DECEIVED US!"
SMITH: "DO YOU KNOW OF ANYONE, ANY TIME, THAT HAS EVER SAID THAT MR. PETTY DECEIVED OR DEFRAUDED THEM? YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT AL PETTY IS BEING SENTENCED TODAY BECAUSE THE PROSECUTION ACCUSED HIM OF DECEIVING AND DEFRAUDING PEOPLE OUT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, DON'T YOU?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR, I KNOW THAT SIR, AND THAT'S A TRAGEDY, BECAUSE I FEEL I KNOW AL PETTY A LOT BETTER THAN THE PROSECUTORS, AND I CANNOT IMAGINE HIM EVER LYING TO, OR DECEIVING ANYONE. IN FACT, I BELIEVE THAT ANYONE WHO WOULD LOCK UP THIS MAN FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE A 'MENACE TO SOCIETY'."
SMITH: "THAT'S A PRETTY BOLD STATEMENT MS. HAMILTON. WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US WHY YOU SAID THAT?"
HAMILTON: "FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE GOT ACQUAINTED WITH SEVERAL TELECOM2000 BUSINESS OWNERS. ALL OF THEM HAVE TOLD ME THAT AL PETTY KEPT EVERY PROMISE TO THEM. SOME OF THEM MADE A LOT OF MONEY FROM TELECOM2000, AND I'M SURE THEY ARE TAXPAYING CITIZENS. LIKE, IF THEY WERE ALL TOGETHER PAYING ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS A MONTH IN TAXES, THAT MEANS THAT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT LOCKS AL PETTY UP, THEY'LL NOT ONLY HAVE TO SUPPORT HIM, BUT THEY'LL BE LOSING ABOUT $12,000,000 A YEAR IN TAXES. THE WAY OUR GOVERNMENT IS SO FAR IN DEBT - LIKE THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY OUR SOCIAL SECURITY - WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT ANYONE WHO TAKES OVER $12,000,000 A YEAR FROM THE GOVERNMENT BY LOCKING AL PETTY UP IS A REAL "MENACE TO SOCIETY"! SORRY MS. KENNER AND JUDGE HANNAH, BUT MR. SMITH ASKED ME AND I'M JUST TRYING TO TELL THE TRUTH AS I SEE IT."
SMITH: "YES, THAT'S A PRETTY STRONG STATEMENT, BUT APPARENTLY YOU FEEL LIKE AL PETTY GAVE YOU YOUR MONEY'S WORTH. I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT MR. PETTY MADE YOU A MUSICAL COMMERCIAL - NOW, I'VE HEARD THAT COULD COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS - AND THAT HE GAVE YOU TIME ON THE RADIO TO PLAY YOUR JINGLE. DID HE DO ANYTHING ELSE FOR YOU?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR. HE MADE SEVERAL PERSONAL APPEARANCES AT OUR STORE AND BROADCAST THEM LIVE ON KGRI. PEOPLE CAME TO OUR STORE FROM ALL AROUND."
SMITH: "WELL, APPARENTLY YOU FEEL YOU GOT YOUR MONEY'S WORTH. HOW MUCH DID AL PETTY CHARGE YOU FOR THE JINGLE, AIR TIME, TALENT CONTEST AND PERSONAL APPEARANCES AT YOUR WESTERN WEAR STORE?"
HAMILTON: "WE PAID HIM ALL OF ONLY $25 A WEEK. HE CERTAINLY DIDN'T DEFRAUD US OR 'RIP US OFF', SIR."
SMITH: "ONE MORE THING, MS. HAMILTON, I BELIEVE THAT AL PETTY WORKED ON THAT 'STEEL GUITORCHESTRA" FOR 7 YEARS. WERE YOU A WITNESS TO THAT?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR. I DON'T BELIEVE HE TOLD ANYONE ABOUT IT THEN, BUT NOW I KNOW THAT HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MONEY FOR PROPANE TO HEAT HIS MOBILE HOME DURING TWO OR THREE OF THOSE 7 WINTERS. HE KNEW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN SHOW BUSINESS, AND HE COULD HAVE WENT TO BRANSON AND MADE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A WEEK. BUT HE WAS DETERMINED TO FINISH THAT STEEL GUITORCHESTRA. SO HE ONLY HAD A LITTLE ELECTRIC HEATER AND ELECTRIC BLANKET TO KEEP HIM WARM. HE HAD TO KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE LET HIM HAVE MONEY FOR PROPANE, BUT HE NEVER EVEN TOLD US ABOUT IT. THIS IS WHAT I MEANT. A MAN LIKE THAT IS SURE NOT A 'MENACE TO SOCIETY'! A MAN WHO WOULD GO COLD ALL WINTER, AND NOT ASK ANYONE FOR HELP IS NOT THE KIND OF MAN WHO WOULD 'RIP SOMEBODY OFF'."
SMITH: "DID YOU SEE MR. PETTY VERY OFTEN DURING THE 7 YEARS HE WORKED ON THE STEEL GUITORCHESTRA."
HAMILTON: "YES SIR. WE KNEW HE WASN'T MAKING ANY MONEY, SO WE INVITED HIM OVER TO OUR HOUSE FOR DINNER PRETTY OFTEN. HE ALSO GAVE ME TAPES OF RECORDS HE MADE FOR SINGERS. TO THIS DAY I KEEP ONE OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS HE MADE FOR THE 'COMFORTERS' IN MY CAR TAPE PLAYER."
SMITH: "I'M AWARE, MS. HAMILTON, THAT WE'RE TAKING A LONG TIME FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, BUT THE LIFE OF MY CLIENT IS AT STAKE. YOU'RE HELPING ME A GREAT DEAL TO PROVE TO THE COURT THAT AL PETTY IS NOT A 'MENACE TO SOCIETY' AND THAT HIS SENTENCE SHOULD BE AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE. LIKE JUDGE HANNAH JUST SAID, THAT'S WHAT THIS HEARING IS FOR. HOPEFULLY WE'LL INFLUENCE THE COURT THAT MR. PETTY IS NOT A 'MENACE TO SOCIETY', OR A 'FLIGHT RISK' AND MAYBE THEY'LL HOLD OFF SENDING HIM TO PRISON UNTIL, AND UNLESS, HE FAILS IN HIS APPEAL. SO PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS ONE MORE THING, I BELIEVE THAT MR. PETTY 'FINISHED' THE STEEL GUITORCHESTRA IN 1993. DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW TELECOM2000 GOT STARTED?
HAMILTON: "YES SIR. I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT MY HUSBAND GOT AL PETTY AWAY FROM THE STEEL GUITORCHESTRA AND INVOLVED IN MARKETING."
SMITH: "PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT, MS. HAMILTON.
HAMILTON: "GEORGE AND I WERE GOING TO A BUSINESS SEMINAR - I BELIEVE IT WAS ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT - WE HAD ENROLLED IN A MULTI-LEVEL PROGRAM CALLED A.D.R.A. -'AUTO DRIVERS RESEARCH ASSOCIATION', I BELIEVE IT WAS CALLED. GEORGE CALLED AL AND INVITED HIM TO COME TO THE MEETING. AT THAT TIME, AL WAS ALWAYS BUSY MAKING RECORDS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAME TO HIS STUDIO OUT IN THE WOODS FROM EVERYWHERE - LIKE ALL THE WAY FROM CALIFORNIA. WE DIDN'T KNOW IT, BUT AT THE TIME HE ALSO WAS SCHEDULING A TOUR ALL OVER THE WORLD TO INTRODUCE HIS STEEL GUITORCHESTRA BY GIVING CONCERTS FOR MUSICIANS. AT FIRST AL SAID HE WAS WORKING ON AN ALBUM AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE MEETING WITH US. BUT AL DID ASK GEORGE WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT. GEORGE TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS ABOUT RECRUITING PEOPLE SO THAT YOU COULD EARN A LEASED CAR OF YOUR CHOICE. AL SAID THAT HE WOULD THINK ABOUT IT AND CALL GEORGE BACK.
WELL, AFTER AWHILE HE CALLED GEORGE BACK AND SAID HE HAD WRITTEN 3 PAGES ON IT AND WANTED TO READ IT TO HIM TO SEE IF HE GOT IT RIGHT. AL READ IT TO GEORGE AND GEORGE GOT EXCITED. HE ASKED AL TO PLEASE COME TO THE SEMINAR AND BRING THOSE 3 PAGES WITH HIM. AL DID COME TO THE MEETING, BUT HE GOT THERE LATE. THE VICE PRESIDENT OF A.D.R.A., TAY BOND, HAD JUST MADE A PRESENTATION OF THE PROGRAM. HE WAS JUST LEAVING FOR ANOTHER MEETING, AFTER HE HAD NOT SIGNED ANYONE UP HERE. IN FACT HE JUST ABOUT PUT EVERYONE TO SLEEP. GEORGE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT IT, BECAUSE WE HADN'T SIGNED ANYONE UP, SO HE ASKED AL TO READ THE 3-PAGE DOCUMENT THAT HE HAD WRITTEN AND HAD READ TO HIM ON THE PHONE. AL DIDN'T WANT TO BECAUSE HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS VERY GOOD, AND, BESIDES HE WASN'T EVEN A MEMBER, AND DIDN'T THINK HE HAD TIME TO EVER JOIN.
BUT GEORGE AND ME AND ALL OF OUR FRIENDS THERE KEPT ON AFTER AL, SO HE FINALLY READ IT. WELL, THAT DID IT! AL PETTY JUST READ THOSE 3 PAGES AND EVERYONE THERE SIGNED UP! (EXCEPT AL). AS SOON AS WE GOT HOME, GEORGE CALLED THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY, STEVEN FRANCES, IN AUSTIN. GEORGE DIDN'T 'MINCE ANY WORDS', (HE NEVER DOES), IN TELLING STEVEN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED, ESPECIALLY ABOUT OUR FRIEND, AL PETTY AND HOW THAT HE GOT EVERYONE THERE TO SIGN UP, EXCEPT HIMSELF,AFTER HIS V.P. HAD JUST ABOUT PUT EVERYONE TO SLEEP!
WELL, TO MAKE A LONG, BUT INTERESTING STORY SHORT, STEVEN AND TAY CALLED AL THE NEXT DAY AND GOT HIM TO READ HIS 3 PAGES TO THEM ON THE PHONE. THEY JUST ABOUT 'CAME THROUGH THE PHONE'. THEY ASKED AL IF THEY COULD COME AND SEE HIM AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT HELPING THEM. AL TOLD THEM THAT HE WAS TOO FAR BEHIND IN HIS WORK IN THE STUDIO, AND GETTING READY TO TOUR WITH HIS STEEL GUITORCHESTRA, AND THAT HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GET INVOLVED IN ANYTHING ELSE. HOWEVER, THEY KEPT ON UNTIL AL AGREED TO AT LEAST MEET THEM AND TALK TO THEM A LITTLE WHILE, IF THEY WANTED TO 'COME ON OVER' TO HIS STUDIO. AL THOUGHT THEY WERE NEAR BY. HE DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE 5 HOURS AWAY IN AUSTIN. WELL, THEY JUMPED IN THE CAR AND DROVE RIGHT UP TO AL'S STUDIO IN THE WOODS OUT OF OVERTON.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT, BEFORE THEY LEFT AL'S PLACE THEY MADE A DEAL WITH HIM TO BE THE 'VOICE OF A.D.R.A.' AND PAID HIM TO WRITE 2 OR 3 PRESENTATIONS AND COME DOWN TO AUSTIN AND VIDEOTAPE THEM. AL FINISHED HIS STUDIO WORK AND CANCELLED HIS PLAN FOR HIS TOUR, AND EVER SINCE THAT DAY, THAT WAS AROUND THANKGIVING OF '95, AL HAS BEEN TOTALLY FOCUSED ON MARKETING! AFTER HE DID THE VIDEOS HE STARTED HOLDING SEMINARS IN OUR LIVING ROOM IN NEW LONDON. I MADE COFFEE AND FIXED SNACKS FOR EVERYONE. THINKING BACK, IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. BUT WE QUICKLY SIGNED UP SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WE OUTGREW OUR LIVING ROOM. SO AL MADE A DEAL WITH A RESTAURANT IN LONGVIEW AND WE WENT OVER THERE AND AL GAVE A PRESENTATION EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT, AND HE ALSO DID THE SAME THING AT A RESTAURANT HERE IN TYLER. WE MET THERE EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT.
WELL, WE GREW REAL FAST, BUT WE SEEMED TO BE THE ONLY SUCCESSFUL A.D.R.A. OPERATION IN THE NATION. PRETTY SOON, LIKE AL PERKINS SAID AWHILE AGO, STEVEN AND TAY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT AL WAS SO SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY, AND EVERY ONE ELSE, WERE FAILING.
SO THEY DECIDED TO TAKE OUR ORGANIZATION OVER AND FORCE AL OUT, BECAUSE OF THEIR GREED AND JEALOUSY, JUST LIKE I BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOW DONE TO AL! THEY CONTACTED ALL OF OUR MEMBERS AND MET WITH THEM AT THE SHERATON HOTEL HERE IN TYLER. AND, CAN YOU BELIEVE, THEY WERE SO AFRAID OF AL THAT THEY WOULD NOT EVEN LET HIM ATTEND THE MEETINGS WITH THE VERY SAME PEOPLE THAT HE SIGNED UP. WHY, IF IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FOR AL, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ANYONE THERE TO EVEN TALK TO. WELL, AFTER STEVEN AND TAY GOT THROUGH, THEY HAD DESTROYED OUR ORGANIZATION, AND THEIR VERY OWN BUSINESS. GEORGE AND I INVESTED MORE THAN $25,000 WITH THEM AND LOST IT ALL. AND ONE OF AL'S BEST FRIENDS, WHO WAS A WITNESS HERE AT THIS TRIAL, BILL BYERS, ALSO INVESTED AROUND $150,000 AND LOST IT ALL. AND, I'M SORRY JUDGE HANNAH, BUT NO ONE PROSECUTED THEM, OR TOOK THEIR MONEY AWAY; BUT AL PETTY, WHO NEVER LIED TO, OR HURT ANYONE, IS ABOUT TO BE THROWN IN PRISON, MAYBE FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS, AND IT BREAKS MY HEART!"
SMITH: "WELL, THAT TOOK A LONG TIME TO TELL, MS. HAMILTON, BUT IT DID EXPLAIN TO US HOW THAT YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND HELPED AL PETTY GET STARTED IN MARKETING. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY TO JUDGE HANNAH THAT COULD AFFECT HIS DECISIONS IN SENTENCING AL PETTY?"
HAMILTON: "YES SIR. YOUR HONOR, THAT FIRST BUSINESS FAILED, IT WAS MULTI-LEVEL. AL TRIED WITH EVERYTHING HE HAD FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS TO MAKE MULTI-LEVEL WORK. HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE MONEY BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW, BUT HE WAS ALWAYS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE HE EITHER COULDN'T ENABLE HIS PEOPLE TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY, OR THAT - EVERY TIME HE DID HELP HIS PEOPLE MAKE MONEY, THE OWNERS WOULDN'T PAY THEM, OR THEY WOULD 'TAKE THEIR MONEY AND RUN'. THIS HAPPENED WITH 5 OR 6 COMPANIES. IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SO INTERESTED IN PROTECTING ITS CITIZENS, I WONDER WHY THEY NEVER PROSECUTED ANY OF THOSE CRIMINALS. THEN AL FIGURED OUT WHY MULTI-LEVEL HARDLY EVER WORKS. THAT'S WHEN HE STARTED TELECOM2000 IN 1999. WELL, YOU HEARD TESTIMONY ALL THROUGH THE TRIAL THAT TELECOM2000 WORKED EVERY TIME - THAT IT WAS HELPING EVERY BUSINESS OWNER! YOUR HONOR, I JUST CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW THAT OTHER COMPANIES CAN ROB PEOPLE, LIKE A.D.R.A. DID US AND YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING TO THEM? BUT NOW THAT AL PETTY HAS COME UP WITH A WAY TO HELP THOUSANDS, AND PROBABLY MILLIONS OF PERSONS, THE GOVERNMENT, THAT REALLY NEEDS HELP, IS ABOUT TO THROW HIM IN PRISON! I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, AND - LIKE I SAID - IT BREAKS MY HEART. THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE! I'M SORRY, YOUR HONOR, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND! IT SEEMS SO WRONG AND UNJUST!"
SMITH: "THANK YOU MRS. HAMILTON. I PASS THE WITNESS."
KENNER: "I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. MAY THIS WITNESS PLEASE BE EXCUSED?"
