BDSM MEDIA NEWS!!!!
22 december 2011
Stillwater 'Taboo Goddess' claims police lied to get search warrant
Source: www.twincities.com - Twincities - USA
USA - STILLWATER - The woman who ran the "Taboo Goddess" dominatrix business in Stillwater claims police lied in an affidavit to obtain a warrant to search the business.
Kristal Taylor told Judge Susan Miles in Washington County District Court on Tuesday that she had recently contacted clients who were stopped by police after leaving the business in August and September 2010, and they provided to her notarized statements that were different from what was included in police reports.
"This whole thing is filled with lies," Taylor said. "I don't even know where to start." But Sgt. Jeff Stender of the Stillwater Police Department said he stood by the information in the affidavit.
Taylor, who is representing herself in the matter, said one client told her police had pulled him over after he left Taylor's business at 1111 S. Everett St. and "threatened to tow his car and lock him up for 48 hours."
"He states that you called him a 'sissy boy,' " Taylor told Stender during cross-examination.
"I don't think I've ever used that term in my life," Stender responded. Taylor, 42, of Stillwater, was arrested in September 2010 on suspicion of prostitution after her next-door neighbor, Fire Chief Stuart Glaser, reported to police "a large volume of traffic coming and going from the residence," Stender said.
"Men showed up and stayed for between one and two hours and left," according to a criminal complaint filed in Washington County District Court. The house is near Stillwater Junior High School and Lakeview Hospital.
The men who were stopped by police outside the house came from La Crosse, Wis., Blaine, Rosemount and North St. Paul. They told police they found Taylor's business through a website called
backpage.com.
Taylor charged $150 an hour for erotic massages and dominatrix services, the complaint states. Authorities in June 2011 charged Taylor, also known as Kristal Zimmerman, with one count of operating a disorderly house, a gross misdemeanor.
John Magnuson, the attorney prosecuting the case for the city, said the charge was bumped up to a gross misdemeanor because the house is in a school zone.
Judge Miles castigated Taylor for providing the notarized statements to the court at the "11th hour" - 4:30 p.m. Monday. Magnuson received the statements while the hearing was in process;
Miles declared a short recess to give Magnuson and Stender time to review the documents. "This case is a muddle today, and the muddle is largely of Ms. Taylor's doing," Miles said. "Read my lips: The rules will be scrupulously followed from now on."
Magnuson said he objected to the statements obtained by Taylor because they were not in affidavit format, they were disclosed late and none of the men was available Tuesday to testify or be cross-examined.
Miles gave Taylor a week to write a brief supporting her claim that there were "untruths in the search warrant."
"Put this in the box of experience of under life lessons learned in trying to represent yourself," Miles said.
Taylor asked whether it was too late to hire an attorney to represent her in the matter. "I clearly did not understand the magnitude of the case law,"
Taylor said. "I'm falling short. I'm not doing it right." Miles said Taylor could hire an attorney, but Miles said she would not "rehash the issues that have been brought up today."
She suggested Taylor find out if Magnuson's offer to have the gross misdemeanor charge dropped to a misdemeanor still stood.
Magnuson said after the hearing that his offer was still good. Taylor declined to comment.
Taylor's next court date is a pretrial hearing Jan. 24. Trial is set for Feb. 13. If convicted of a gross misdemeanor, Taylor faces a $3,000 fine and/or a year in jail.
More.
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Dominatrix spanked with disorderly charge.(26-06-2011)
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'Taboo Goddess' faces 'disorderly house' charge.(24-06-2011)
