Sept. 6, 2004 -
Just wanted to answer some questions I get repeatedly by email in the hopes that I won't get as many!

At the request of corrections officials and others close to the boys, I do not distribute their contact information to anyone. I don't even have it myself, so please don't ask.

If you wish to try to contact the boys, I suggest you visit our new site, Justice for Juveniles. Join the site, and help us fight for juvenile rights.

November 12, 2003 -
A&E has produced an episode of "American Justice" about the trial of Derek and Alex King, and the controversies surrounding the trial, their convictions, and their eventual confessions. You may purchase a copy of the VHS here, however it will probably air again in the near future.

May 6, 2003 -
No, I'm not dead. But apparently the forums were for a time. I've fixed the problem with the code and it shouldn't happen again.

I guess I should take a moment to say how disgusted I am that Rick Chavis was found not guilty in the vast majority of the charges stemming from the sexual abuse of Alex, including kidnapping. At least he's been put away for some time.

Alex, I'm sorry the system failed you.

Dec. 17, 2002 -
The wrangling over the boys fates ends today. Derek and Alex have been moved to more appropriate facilities, and the deadline to appeal their mediation passed Friday. Jayne Weintraub, Alex's attorney briefly, said that the boys requested that no appeal be made, and their mother agreed to their wishes now that the boys are in juvenile facilites.

It is highly probable that Alex, and perhaps Derek as well, will be called upon to testify at the upcoming trial of Rick Chavis for molestation and kidnapping. I pray that Rimmer treats these boys as victims, and doesn't vent his anger on them. Rimmer's already shown his stripes, and we can't let him get away with abusing these boys any more than he already has.

The boys' locations are posted in the forums, however now that they are in DJJ custody, they are subject to different rules. This affects letter writing, etc. You must be on an approved list to write to the boys, and I'm sure this list is limited in size. For this reason, I am not posting their mailing address. I assure you, I am not on this list, nor will I ever be, so any request for me to forward a message to the boys cannot be honored.

I'd like to send a thank you out to everyone who took time out of their lives to contribute in any way to this case - be it a phone call, email, letter, prayer, or just a kind thought.

Today, I am starting work on the "new site" some of you have heard about. It's www.justiceforjuveniles.org - nothing up yet, but I'll have something there before Christmas.

Dec. 16, 2002 - Derek and Alex moved to DJJ facilities.
Derek and Alex have been turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice for placement in juvenile facilities as of Dec. 14, 2002. This move comes despite statements against the move by both David Rimmer, Assistant State Attorney, and Judge Bell, who approved the plea bargain.

Due to the boys being placed in juvenile facilities, we are unable to ascertain their locations, so we do not have their addresses. It is also probable that the boys will be separated.

Dec. 10, 2002 - Chavis faces life in prison
New charges against Rick Chavis, aquitted in the death of Terry King, means he again faces life in prison plus an additional 170 years.

Assistant State Attorney David Rimmer dropped the lewd and lacivious conduct charge, and instead filed 1 count of kidnapping and 10 counts of lewd and lacivious sexual battery against Chavis yesterday.

The count of kidnapping is for hiding Alex King for approximately 9 days while he was a runaway. According to Florida statute, a person is guilty of kidnapping if the victim is under 13 and is being confined "without the consent of her or his parent or legal guardian." Terry King repeatedly visited Chavis during the time both Derek and Alex were runaways, and Chavis reportedly kept both hidden from King. The kidnapping charge carries a possible sentence of life in prison.

The 10 counts of sexual battery, each carrying a possible 15 year sentance, are all believed to involve Alex King. The charges range in time from July 12, 2001 - Alex's 12th birthday, to November 27, 2001, the day the brothers were turned over to Escambia Sherriff's Office.

No, Ricky, you won't be living in the same house when they get out of jail. I hope you feel the pain you've inflicted on these boys ten-fold, and more.

Dec. 7, 2002 - Michael Crowe case - more frightening parallels.
On the morning of January 21, 1998, police and EMS services are summoned to the Crowe residence, in Escondido CA. Stephanie Crowe, 12 years old, is found brutally murdered in her bedroom, a victim of multiple stab wounds. As is typical in child murders, the family members quickly separated and interrogated. Police focused their efforts on Stephanie's 14 year old brother, Michael, after feeling he did not express the same level of shock and remorse over the death of his sister as the other family members.

Michael and his youngest sister were placed in protective custody while the police continued their interrogation of their parents. At this time, the police began their interrogation on Michael, without his parents knowledge. He was deemed capable of waiving his Miranda rights, and did so. After many hours of interrogation, Michael eventually confessed to the crime, although his version of the events in no way correlated with the crime scene. During the interrogation, the police intentionally deceived him, stating that his hair was found in her hand, and her blood was found in his room, and promised him multiple times that if he confessed before they got the final results on the blood and hair samples he would get the help he needed, not jail time.

Michael's parents were unaware that he was even a suspect until the police phoned stating they had made an arrest approximately 48 hours after the murder - and that suspect was their own child.

Shortly after the arrest of Michael, the policed focused their investigation on two of his friends, Joshua Treadway and Aaron Houser. Eventually, Joshua also confesses to the crime, however Aaron confesses to nothing.

All three boys were scheduled to be tried as adults. On Dec. 17, 1998, Judge John Thompson throws out the confessions of Michael and Aaron, concluding that they were illegally obtained. He also severely limits the use of Joshua's statements.

Days before the jury selection was made for the boys trial, DNA evidence linked a transient, Richard Raymond Tuite, arrested in the area days after the murder to the slayings. The blood found on Tuite's sweatshirt was found to conclusively match that of Stephanie Crowe's. The Escondido DA's office drops charges against the boys, without prejudice - meaning they still believe the boys are guilty, and can again bring charges against the boys when additional evidence is made available. Even in the face of conclusive evidence, the DA and police are hell bent on sending these boys to prison for life.

Having seen the interrogation video tapes, I am SICKENED by the actions of the Escondido Police Department. Michael, Joshua and Aaron were lied to, humiliated, tricked and in my opinion abused during the interrogation. This is unacceptable when dealing with children.

For this reason, I'm now asking for assistance from anyone with a legal background to work on drafting state specific propositions to make it mandatory for ALL juveniles to be represented during questioning by a parent, attorney or non-police related child advocate, without exception, and that such interrogations must be videotaped in their entirety.

For more information on the Crowe case, and it's glaring similarities in the King case, you can visit The San Diego Tribune site, or CourtTV's site. CourtTV produced a movie based on this case, which brought it to my attention.

Dec. 5, 2002 - NY DA recommends convictions vacated
The Manhattan District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, asked a NY State Supreme Court Justice to vacate the guilty verdicts of 5 teens convicted in 1989 of a brutal attack and rape on a jogger in Central Park. All 5 boys, aged 14 - 16 at the time of the attack, confessed to the crime, and later recanted, saying they were coerced by police. The 5 boys were convicted, with their confessions making up the bulk of the evidence against them - the jury felt it was too detailed to be invented (notice a frightening parallel?).

The recommendation comes up due to an extremely odd admission - a convicted murderer/rapist confessed to committing the attack and rape, which left the victim in a coma for 12 days. DNA evidence, which was not reliable at the time of the original convictions, shows that he was in fact the rapist.

The boys say law enforcement officials promised them that they would be released if they confessed to the attack and they felt enormous pressure to get out of custody any way they could.

"It could be tantamount to someone holding a gun to your head," said Yusef Salaam, one of the boys convicted of the attacks. "You're 15 years old, but you know sooner or later that a bullet is going to come out. That's the type of feeling I had."

"They just told me that I was going to go home," said Kharey Wise, who was 16 when accused of the attacks.

The parallels in the cases is frightening. For those of you that believe that there's no way the boys would have / could have confessed to a crime they did not commit, especially in such great detail - I rest my case.

Nov. 14, 2002 - King Brother's enter plea
Derek King, 14, and Alex King, 13, entered a guilty plea to third degree murder and arson in the death of their father, Terry King. This plea comes as a result of the 2 days of mediation between the brothers, their attorneys, and the prosecution.

Derek King was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Alex King was sentenced to 7 years.

I, for one, am terribly upset by this plea agreement. This in no way helps the boys - they are still in prison, and will NOT receive the counseling, schooling, etc., that they most desperately need.

Derek and Alex, I'm sorry you continue to be abused by those that we count on to protect us.

Nov. 14, 2002 -
ABCNews.com has published an article entitled "Dangerous Kids Justify Adult Treatment?" in which the King brothers are briefly mentioned. The "sniper case" suspect, John Lee Malvo, 17, has brought this topic to the forefront of many American's minds - and to be honest, it's hard to disagree with them in this case.

The one case mentioned in this article that really angered me (besides the King brothers, obviously) involved yet another Florida teen, 17 year old Adam Bollenback. Bollenback was convicted of stealing a 6 pack of beer, and eluding a police officer. He was sentenced to TEN YEARS in prison! Yes, he was a repeat offender. He's had numerous felonies, none mentioned as being violent. The sentencing guidelines recommended a 4 year sentence, however the judge ignored these and stated "You're well on your way to a lifetime of prison and I don't want to see that happen. This sentence is going to break your spirit right now."

10 years for stealing a six pack of beer would break my spirit too.

Nov. 13, 2002 - Mediation, Round 2
While the talks on Nov. 7 were productive, according to the court appointed mediator, no agreement was reached. The mediator was optimistic that a decision would be reached today.

The lawyers need your help. Please contact Judge Bell, and ask that he release his written opinion on the decision to overturn the verdict, as this may help the boys' attorneys decide how best to proceed.

Oct. 31, 2002 -
Meditation has been tentatively scheduled for Nov. 7, 2002. The boys' attorneys have stated they intend on asking that the boys be sent to Boys Town, which most of the frequent visitors to the site support. Boys Town does have it's drawbacks - for the first few months the boys will be isolated, even from each other. Most feel that the potential for their recovery far outweighs the initial discomfort they might face during this initial isolation period.

Please visit the forums for more discussion on this possible outcome. Everyone's opinion is welcome.

Oct. 18, 2002 -
Photos are being sent to me of the rally and hearing, and I'll be posting them when I return from my class on Oct. 31. Updates will be limited to news items, as I'll be away until that time.

Oct. 17, 2002 - Judge throws out verdict.
CourtTV - "Judge Bell threw out the convictions of two boys found guilty in the slaying of their father, who was bludgeoned with a baseball bat as he slept.

Judge Frank Bell ordered prosecutors and defense attorneys to try to resolve the case. He said he would order a new trial for Alex and Derek King, ages 13 and 14, if the talks failed." (edited slightly for clarity)

Our work isn't over. Now is when the letter writing will be most crucial. Contact David Rimmer, Curtis Golden, and other officials demanding they be given a trial in juvenile court. Write letters to both James Stokes and Sharon Potter, and let them know that we are with them until this fight for justice is concluded.

I'm sorry, Mr. Rimmer, you are going to have to deal with this "yellow dog".

Oct. 14, 2002 - 3 days until Rally, Hearing on Defense Motions
My apologies for the lack of site updates, but honestly there isn't much to add. I've got some letters that I'm going to post later today or tomorrow AM, but as far as the "meat" of the site, it's up.

This will, of course, change drastically in about 72 hours. At this time, Judge Bell will listen to two defense motions, one apparently asking that Judge Bell set aside the jury verdict, something that rarely occurs, and another a mistrial due to the confusing circumstances surrounding the back to back trials of Chavis and the King brothers.

While I agree with both motions, I think the defense will be hard pressed to make it's case on both motions. From what I understand, both motions will rest on the fact that the jurors later statements to the press were inconsistent with the verdict they reached - ie., the jury found the boys guilty of a murder they say the boys didn't commit, nor knew about before hand, and either ignored judicial instructions on what was necessary for conviction (and the Judge should set aside the verdict) or they were so confused by the two trials that they were unsure (and the Judge should declare a mistrial).

Now, it's a game of "wait and see".

Oct. 10, 2002 -
Well, Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida has finally responded to the letter writing campaign many of you have been working on. I've gotten numerous emails with his response, written by an assistant of some kind. It appears everyone who has submitted an email to the Gov. will receive the same canned response, so if yours is significantly different please send it to me.

The rally and the hearings on the defense motions to declare a mistrial are now only one week away. Please get involved however you can. You can always check the News page to keep up-to-date on the developments in this case, including breaking news about the rally and hearing.

In closing, I'd like to remind people that it was Jeb Bush that stated, "There should be a sensitivity to the fact that a 14-year-old is not a little adult." We need to make sure he sticks to that thought, and does everything he can to right the wrongs done to ALL juveniles in his state tried as adults - not just the King brothers.

Oct. 9, 2002 part 2 -
Well, I received my first negative email today, so I feel I have to share the author's views and points.

The author chastises me for "raising funds" for what s/he deems two boys that are "guilty as hell".

First - I have nothing to do with fundraising. I provide the addresses to where you can send money, but I had nothing to do with the creation of that account, nor do I have any control over how it's used. I also had no hand in creating the online store, nor do I have any control over it's proceeds - they are turned over to the boys attorneys.

Second - I've mentioned numerous times, I'm not convinced beyond a doubt that the boys did or didn't commit the crimes that they are accused of. In fact, it's the LACK of substantial evidence in this case that irritates me most.

The author compared this crime to the Bulger slaying in England in 1993. Two 10 year old boys were tried (as adults) and convicted for the murder of James "Jamie" Bulger, just one month shy of 3 years old. At the time, the boys were sentenced to an indefinite incarceration period. Approximately 8 years later, the boys were released, amid quite a bit of public outrage.

I can't answer to the Bulger case, as I'm not as familiar with it's specifics. I do know, however, that the boys were captured on videotape kidnapping the child, were seen walking with him in the vicinity of the murder scene, and were placed at the murder scene by forensic evidence. This is in stark contrast to the case at hand - there is NO physical evidence that the boys killed their father. Other than their (possibly rehearsed) confessions, there is no evidence period that the boys killed their father.

I am horrified that we live in a society that, in some way or another, creates children that kill. But I am also adamant in my belief that no child, regardless of their crime, should be treated as an adult.

To the family of Jamie Bulger - I am truly sorry about the untimely death of your beloved child.

Oct. 9, 2002 -
Today I received scans of an objection to the defense attorney's notice of intent to interview the jurors in the King brother's trial filed by DA David Rimmer. I was also sent the defense answer, filed by James Stokes, Alex King's defense attorney. Both documents are listed under The Case. Both documents are in PDF format, and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

Thanks folks, for keeping me in mind when you uncover these documents - I'll take all the help I can get!

I've also received the latest press release by our PR liaison, which can be viewed on our Press Release page.

Oct. 8, 2002 -
Added a piece on the King juror's interpretation of their verdict, as reported by journalists to The Verdict page. I am currently researching the Chavis verdict and the jury's comments on why they came to their conclusions. Will post as I have it completed.

I've added a link on the Links page to a site containing the email addresses of every federal legislator, as well as links to many state legislator email lists. This is a great resource for all who are concerned that this could happen in your own state. My thanks to Cathy @ Justice4Kids for pointing out this terrific site to me!

I've added a sample complaint letter to the Florida State Bar Assoc., calling for the investigation of the prosecutor in the boy's case, David Rimmer. The letter brings to light much of the misconduct perpetrated by Rimmer in his so-called "search for justice". While most of the misconduct was actually perpetrated against Chavis, it does shed some light into this unethical prosecutor's actions as a whole. A link to this letter will be placed in the Help the Boys section, as well as the Contacts page.

Oct. 7, 2002 -
Well, my busy week is over, and it's time to get back to updating the site as regularly as I can.

As per requests, I've added a News page. Right now, you'll see that it's empty. Once I get some posters (see below) it will be a repository for the latest information about the case, media coverage, etc.

I'm "hiring" some posters for that portion of the site - it's basically a "blogger" script, but I think it will work well for a news page. Any volunteers, just email me. I'm also going to ask for volunteers to answer some incoming emails. I'm considering an "info" mailing group, and will direct all non-site related questions to that email addy. Again, if you are interested in helping with this, email me. The more the merrier! :)

I've added a press release page where you can view the latest information being submitted to the media by a site supporter who has signed on as our Public Relations liaison. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the press releases.

Added Derek's indictment for murder and arson to The Case. That's the last bit of documented evidence I have, so now I'm moving on to The Verdict. Expect more on this tonight or tomorrow AM.

Oct. 3, 2002 -
I'm working on the addition of a "news" area, which will contain all the latest news for the case, address changes, media coverage, etc. This current page will be strictly for site updates. There will be multiple contributors to the "news" area, so I'm sure it will be worthwhile to visit it often.

Oct. 1, 2002 -
Not really an update, more of a "visitor service" announcement. I currently receive about 10 emails a day that are infected with the Klez virus. This virus fakes the "from" portion of the email it uses to replicate itself, so it's difficult for anyone to track who actually sent the virus. PLEASE - update your virus scanners, or install one soon to protect yourself from this virus. There are also various "removal tools" available on the internet - just search for "klez removal tool", or you can get the Symantec tool FixKlez.

This virus is particularly nasty because the email simply needs to be opened - you don't have to open the attachment! Please protect your computer and your files.

Sept. 30, 2002 -
I've added the indictment documents of Ricky Chavis for the remaining counts of lewd and lascivious sexual battery, accessory after the fact to murder, and evidence tampering. I've also updated the links page to include more information that has been sent to me. One more small item in The Case, and I'm moving on to The Verdict. I'll be asking a few of you to submit your thoughts on the verdict personally, however you can always email your opinions to admin@derekandalexking.org directly. All emails are read, however due to volume I can't guarantee a personal reply, nor can I guarantee when your submission will be posted.

Thanks for all your support.

Sept. 28, 2002 -
The German site is up. Thanks again, Thilo, for taking on this project. It's not got all the content we do yet, but I know he's working on it as he can. The address is www.rights4kids.de and is now listed as such on our links page. I've also created a link to the online petition on the links page as well, as it appears quite a few of the newer visitors are having problems finding it.

As always, for the most recent information on the activities surrounding this trial by the media, the courts, and many supporters of the boys, visit our online forums.

Sept. 26, 2002 -
Finally completed the Offense Report section. Will be adding more comments as I review them more.

Sept. 25, 2002 part deux. -
Please check out this story by ABCNews.Com - "Why Would an Innocent Man Confess". While I doubt the boys were questioned for 50 hours and beaten, this proves that the police often just drop the ball when they force out a confession.

Sept. 25, 2002 -
Well, the long-awaited "links" page is in. Email me for suggestions on content for it. I'm also working on getting the offense report online, as it contains quite a tale of the "two-step" done by Chavis during the hours immediately prior to and after the murder.

Just a side note - I currently receive about 100+ emails per day regarding this site. While I can't possibly respond to all, I do read every one, and if it is a contribution it will be posted eventually as my time permits. I'm still working on the main content for the site, and as soon as that is complete I plan on posting the visitor submitted content.

Thanks for your patience, and for your visit!

Sept. 21, 2002 -
Well, we have our first foreign mirror site under development. Thilo Sommer, from Germany, has offered to produce a mirror site in German, and I think it's a great idea. I've previewed the site, and when it's finalized I'll be posting the link here. If anyone wants to attempt a similar page for our other foreign language guests, feel free. Just let me know so that I can link to it as necessary.

Thanks, Thilo!

Sept. 20, 2002 -
My apologies for the lack of substantial updates - this has been a very busy week at work for me, and by the time I get home I'm beat. :) I have been working on a couple new "feature" pages, particularly a link page to various juvenile Miranda rulings and information, which should prove to be an interesting topic of discussion.

I'm also working on the offense report filed by the officer investigating the murder/arson. It's got a few interesting bits of information - gives evidence of the multitude of lies presented by Chavis during the hours immediately before and after the crimes.

Sept. 18, 2002 -
The sentencing hearing has been rescheduled for Dec. 4th and 5th, while Judge Bell considers the defense motion to grant a new trial. For more information, please visit http://www.wpmi.com/Global/story.asp?s=940577.

I'd again like to thank Rick for providing even more graphics for the site. He's the creator of our new banner, and there are more banners posted on his graphics page.

Sept. 16, 2002 -
I've been asked by a few people to explain why this site exists - what it's purpose is. Well, it was created out of my desire to disseminate the facts, evidence (even the evidence that might lead one to a presumption of guilt), and verdict of the case as impartially as possible, so that people can come to their own decisions. It also helps satisfy my need to review all the evidence at hand, so that I may eventually be moved to one side or the other.

If you've read any of my posts on the CourtTV boards, you'd realize I'm not convinced of the boys guilt or innocence - however I am outraged that they were tried as adults. I'm outraged that these children were not required to have an attorney present during questioning. I'm outraged that the Florida State Attorney's Office considered a 12 and 13 year old capable of understanding their Miranda rights in regards to self incrimination, and capable of waiving those rights.

You may disagree with my stance - and that is your right, as a human being, and I'll never attempt to change that. All I ask is you remove your preconceived notions of guilt and look at the evidence at hand as if you were a member of the jury - is it evident beyond a reasonable doubt that Derek and Alex King killed their father.

I hope you enjoy the site. I've not made many updates yesterday or today - primarily just removing some links, correcting typo's/broken links, etc. I am compiling a list on juvenile Miranda rulings that I think will prove an interesting bit of reading, and I should be posting that tomorrow when it's complete.

Sept. 14, 2002 -
I've found scans of the letter allegedly sent by Rick Chavis to Alex King while both were in custody at the Escambia County Jail. You can read the transcripts, or view the actual letter.

I've received a letter to Gov. Jeb Bush from a concerned citizen, and with his permission it is now posted. You can use this letter as an example for your own. I must caution you in using "form letters" to send to politicians. They don't hold as much weight as do carefully worded, heart-felt letters written by individuals.

Rick, one of our forum posters, has created some graphics that can be used on your personal site. The graphics can be found here, and if you wish, they may link back to this site. Thanks Rick, the graphics are wonderful!

I've added pages for each of the key players. On those pages, you will (eventually) find statements made by each person, or evidence involving that person. I will also add comments made by users to these pages, as I have with the email messages from Joyce Tracy regarding her son. Send any submissions to story@derekandalexking.org and I or another moderator will review them. By submitting an article, you are stating that you wrote the article and have copyright authority, and are granting us permission to use it on this site. If you are not the author, please just send us the link to the document, and we will attempt to receive permission to repost it.

Sept. 13, 2002 -
Ok, technically it's still the 12th for me, but I've received quite a few requests to post the messages from Joyce Tracy. They are up, simply click Terry King's photo or his name on The Player's page.
I'll be adding more content throughout the day, so check back often.

Sept. 12, 2002 -
Today, I received an email from the boys paternal grandmother, Joyce Tracy, asking about the site. While I realize that all of this must be painful for her, I sincerely hope that she will become an active participant on this site - either as a contributor to the boards, stories, or just background information about her son, Terry, and the boys.

Sept. 11, 2002 -
Welcome to the site. I find a great deal of comfort today, as I reflect upon the incidents of just one year ago, and how much America has grown as a result of the attacks against our nation, and our people. It wasn't just an attack on some buildings that killed some innocent people - it was an attack on our very existence. America, the concept, was attacked.

My prayers go out to those who lost loved ones in the attacks. May they never be forgotten.