Freedom of Speech Needs Your HELP
Donation protected
My name is Ira Isaacs and I was just release from Federal PRISON
for breaking the Vague and Unconstitutional Obscenity Laws
I need your help to continue to fight the US Government to ensure our First Amendment rights for all Americans.
I need your financial support to cover some of my costs to write my book, titled (OBSCENE) “The People vs Ira Isaacs.”
I also need your help to pay my $11,000 in court fines and to find housing and to get back on my feet.
Please Help
Here’s my story
I am an artist and fetish filmmaker who challenged the US Government over our First Amendment right of Freedom of Speech. The freedom to say what you want to say without government interference.
The US Government claimed my movies were legally obscene and sentenced me to 48 months in federal prison. Even though there were no minors involved and only consenting adults, the government felt they should determine what is ART and what is not.
The current, vague, and outdated Obscenity laws requires that all art, books, movies, painting etc Pass an art test determine by the government and confirmed by a jury. Any sexual content can be considered obscene by the government and you can wind up in federal prison, as I did.
In fact, you don't even need to have sexual content - Fetishes Qualify.
I was Raided by the FBI in 2007, and was offered a plea deal of 18 months in prison to admit my movies were obscene. I refused and went to trial in 2008, which ended up as a mistrial.
Chief Judge Alex Kozinski recluses himself from trial
They then offered me 3 months house arrest, and no prison time, to plea guilty to obscenity – I again refused to sell out, and decided to continue my fight against the government attack on the
peoples First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech - and went to trial again.
Remember the First Amendment is to protect Unpopular Speech from the government, not to protect popular speech (after all, popular speech does not need protecting).
Our founding fathers new the importance of not limiting speech. Our democracy depends on
the free flow of ideas no matter how offensive it may be to others.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prevents Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging the Freedom of Speech.
But congress made a law anyway
In my second trial in January 2012, I was determined to qualify as a lay expert, which allowed me speak (sort Of) on the artistic value of my movies. By law, if I can show my movies had serious Artistic, Scientific, Political or Literary value they would not be obscene. I accomplished that for some of the jurors’ but the jury were hung and a mistrial was declared.
There's sort of a morbid irony that in a trial to determine my First Amendment right,
I was very limited on what I can say in my defense
Mistrial declared in L.A. fetish film producer's obscenity case
Once again, the government pressured me to taking there plea deal They threatened me with a bogus human trafficking charge (which carries a 15 year minimum sentence) if I didn’t comply - I didn’t - I refused once again, I believed I was fighting for all our rights to freedom of speech, and was committed to the cause.
The government decided to try me for a third time, after all this was a very high profile case, and they were determined to convict me, in fact Erick Holder, the Attorney General, at the time mention me by name in front of congress. Holder referred to it as " The Isaacs Matter"
My third trial was a joke. The judge would not let me defend myself – He constantly interrupted me and effectively took on the roles of the prosecutor, as well as judge. In the end, this trial was headed for another mistrial, but the judge would not have it, so he decided to change the jury instructions, so I would be convicted.
SO I WAS CONVICTED AND WENT TO PRISON.
My book " OBSCENE " ( drops early 2019 ) tells the story of my 3 Trial and the merry romp thru the Prison system.
Email if you would like a free pdf file on the first several chapters.
I will include your comments in the book
[email redacted]
Please help if you can, and Thank You for reading my story
Donate $25 or more, and I'll send you a signed and numbered first addition
copy
Thanks for your consideration
Ira Isaacs
Here are some links for more info:
'2 Girls, 1 Cup,' Ira Isaacs Gets 4 Years in Prison
Wikipedia
The Trial of Josef K - Filmaker blog
Salon Interview with Ira isaacs
Gawker Articles
Boing Boing Interview
Politico Article
Even Singer Pat Boone has something to say
for breaking the Vague and Unconstitutional Obscenity Laws
I need your help to continue to fight the US Government to ensure our First Amendment rights for all Americans.
I need your financial support to cover some of my costs to write my book, titled (OBSCENE) “The People vs Ira Isaacs.”
I also need your help to pay my $11,000 in court fines and to find housing and to get back on my feet.
Please Help
Here’s my story
I am an artist and fetish filmmaker who challenged the US Government over our First Amendment right of Freedom of Speech. The freedom to say what you want to say without government interference.
The US Government claimed my movies were legally obscene and sentenced me to 48 months in federal prison. Even though there were no minors involved and only consenting adults, the government felt they should determine what is ART and what is not.
The current, vague, and outdated Obscenity laws requires that all art, books, movies, painting etc Pass an art test determine by the government and confirmed by a jury. Any sexual content can be considered obscene by the government and you can wind up in federal prison, as I did.
In fact, you don't even need to have sexual content - Fetishes Qualify.
I was Raided by the FBI in 2007, and was offered a plea deal of 18 months in prison to admit my movies were obscene. I refused and went to trial in 2008, which ended up as a mistrial.
Chief Judge Alex Kozinski recluses himself from trial
They then offered me 3 months house arrest, and no prison time, to plea guilty to obscenity – I again refused to sell out, and decided to continue my fight against the government attack on the
peoples First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech - and went to trial again.
Remember the First Amendment is to protect Unpopular Speech from the government, not to protect popular speech (after all, popular speech does not need protecting).
Our founding fathers new the importance of not limiting speech. Our democracy depends on
the free flow of ideas no matter how offensive it may be to others.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prevents Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging the Freedom of Speech.
But congress made a law anyway
In my second trial in January 2012, I was determined to qualify as a lay expert, which allowed me speak (sort Of) on the artistic value of my movies. By law, if I can show my movies had serious Artistic, Scientific, Political or Literary value they would not be obscene. I accomplished that for some of the jurors’ but the jury were hung and a mistrial was declared.
There's sort of a morbid irony that in a trial to determine my First Amendment right,
I was very limited on what I can say in my defense
Mistrial declared in L.A. fetish film producer's obscenity case
Once again, the government pressured me to taking there plea deal They threatened me with a bogus human trafficking charge (which carries a 15 year minimum sentence) if I didn’t comply - I didn’t - I refused once again, I believed I was fighting for all our rights to freedom of speech, and was committed to the cause.
The government decided to try me for a third time, after all this was a very high profile case, and they were determined to convict me, in fact Erick Holder, the Attorney General, at the time mention me by name in front of congress. Holder referred to it as " The Isaacs Matter"
My third trial was a joke. The judge would not let me defend myself – He constantly interrupted me and effectively took on the roles of the prosecutor, as well as judge. In the end, this trial was headed for another mistrial, but the judge would not have it, so he decided to change the jury instructions, so I would be convicted.
SO I WAS CONVICTED AND WENT TO PRISON.
My book " OBSCENE " ( drops early 2019 ) tells the story of my 3 Trial and the merry romp thru the Prison system.
Email if you would like a free pdf file on the first several chapters.
I will include your comments in the book
[email redacted]
Please help if you can, and Thank You for reading my story
Donate $25 or more, and I'll send you a signed and numbered first addition
copy
Thanks for your consideration
Ira Isaacs
Here are some links for more info:
'2 Girls, 1 Cup,' Ira Isaacs Gets 4 Years in Prison
Wikipedia
The Trial of Josef K - Filmaker blog
Salon Interview with Ira isaacs
Gawker Articles
Boing Boing Interview
Politico Article
Even Singer Pat Boone has something to say
Organizer
Ira Isaacs
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA