Melvin Sembler center with Betty Sembler left 03-17-2009

“People thought we were taking away children’s rights. But we saw it just the opposite – giving [...]]]>

Copyright (C) 2009 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated (EXCLUSIVE) ORIGINAL PUBLICATION DATE OCTOBER 15, 2009 By Brill Smith 

Magic Grits III September 02, 2010 “What happened to the patient medical records maintained by Straight, Incorporated?”

Melvin Sembler center with Betty Sembler left 03-17-2009

“People thought we were taking away children’s rights. But we saw it just the opposite – giving them back their rights by helping them get off drugs. Mel Sembler, Straight’s founder, Florida Trend Magazine, May 1997″ 

Straight, Incorporated marketed itself as a “Kids Helping Kids” drug treatment program.  As ridiculous as that may sound, they were serious about it.
 

Straight was licensed as an out-patient treatment facility meaning no children spent the night at the facility.  At night they went home to “Foster Homes.”  This term was used until the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Service, now known as the Department of Children and Families, made them change the term in around 1982 to “Host Homes” because the term “Foster Home” has a legal definition as a placement of a child by the “social services” system.  There is a legal definition of the term “Foster Home” with specific safety requirements which Straight, Inc. could or would not meet.  

Straight had 6 parts to it’s “treatment program.”  Phases 1 through 5 and “7th Step.”  7th Step is obtained when a person graduates from Straight’s “treatment program.”  There was no 6th phase. 

On 1st phase a child would be age 11 – 17, or young adult meaning 18 and over but under 25 would go home at night with a client and their family who was on 2nd phase of the program or higher up to phase 5. Clients on 2nd phase through 5th phase were known as “oldcomers.”  

On the 1st phase, a child would be “belt looped” and may be restrained or even tied with a nylon rope for things like not sitting up straight enough, poor hygiene or sleeping when not allowed.  This according to an agreed administrative order between Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Normally an oldcomer was assigned at least two newcomers; one on each hand.  The “Host Homes” were locked in a manner in which the only way to exit would be to smash a window much like Fred Collins did in the now famous court case Fred Collings v. Straight, Inc. 

Straight locations were normally operated out of large warehouses, normally a two story open building in the center with offices on the outer edge for the  sales staff and “intake” rooms. “Intake” rooms were small rooms with solid wooden doors used in “interviewing” potential clients.  Everyone was a new client, drug problem or not. According to a 1993 FBI document, Straight took in all teens. They did some weekday intakes but Saturdays were their big sales days.  No child who’s parents had the means to pay was ever “diagnosed” as straight enough.  

Would you let some child perform surgery on you, or a family member during open heart procedure? 

This is Allison Clute. The marks on her are the result of “Kids Helping Kids.” In this letter to then Florida Governor Lawton Chiles from Community Improvement, Inc., President Richard Bradbury outlines the abuse of Ms. Clute on page two. And here is Ms. Clute’s statement. 

Wow, someone might wonder where in the world was the oversight, or shall we say lack of, by the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services?  This report by Lowell Clary, Acting Inspector General for Florida’s Department of Health and Human Services (HRS) now called the Office of Children and Family, may answer that.
 

FBI findings Straight accepted all teens. On Friday and Monday nights Straight held what was called "Open Meeting." Well it was not really that open. After they had scrutinized your drivers license and other identification to make sure you were not the cops, or a reporter you were welcomed in.

Straight marketed to prospective parents by sending these higher phase clients out to do speaking engagements.  Those welcome were a carefully selected group of individuals.  They were parents who had told their kids earlier in the evening $5 is on the table get pizza tonight dad and I are going out to dinner, see you later.  Lie number 1.  They called these get togethers “Share the Gift”. Here is a document headlined “Suggeted letter for Share the gift or may as well have been titled “Here’ some coffee. Wanna join my cult?”(see page 6)
 

These parents lied to their children.  Straight’s most important “rule” was honesty but that was only applicable to the children and their parents that Straight and its operators preyed upon.  

Straight from the get go split the family.  It was easier to attack that way and accomplish their mission of depleting all of the funds they could from the family or their insurance company or both. 

That “dinner” the parents told their kids they were going to was Straight’s “Open Meeting.” By now the parents had already been approached by a co-worker, or attended some speaking engagement or business meeting and heard children from Straight who were on higher phases of the program, normally 3rd, 4th or 5th phase, speak about Straight’s (Click on the following) “wonders.” 

(Click on the following) It was called “Share the Gift.” 

What these parents did not know is that these kids were required to do as many speaking engagements as they could in order to curry favor in hopes of “7th Stepping (graduating). And if they did not they may be subject to punishment such as; a set back to a lower phase, loss of days off, or loss of the “privilege” to attend school and so forth.  

So now mom and dad have heard these Straight kids talking about how bad their life was before Straight and how Straight had saved them from ending up in the gutter dead from drugs, or stopped them from being a cheap prostitute, homeless, or gay. 

Here are these young ladies (kids) dressed in nice skirts, or young men (kids) in a dress shirt, tie and “clean cut.”   The potential new sale (parents) are sitting there listening to these kids talking about how their parents had only thought they may have at some point snuck out of the house to hang out with friends, or how they listened to rock music, or how they may have tried a marijuana joint, or how they my have smoked a cigarette, or how they my have had homosexual, or lesbian relations but, in “reality”, they had been hard addicts, prostitutes, armed robbers, drug runners, etc and how the “miracle” of Straight, Inc. had saved their lives. 

The parents would be blown away and think “THATS MY KID!”  Imagine your eating lunch at the whatever business group you attended sitting next to your friends and co-workers and out of this kids mouth comes, “I sucked dick and Straight saved me.” 

Shocking but totally true. How many of the children’s stories were made up to protect themselves from further punishment (abuse)?  Next time someone presses a hammer into your hand telling telling you about your leeky roof, look down first and see if they’re not pissin’ down your leg.  

(Click on the following) Then fliers would be passed out promoting Straight, Incorporated. No care to the fact that these children are classified as clients in a licensed out-patient “drug treatment program” they have a legal right to medical confidentiality. But these kids don’t have a choice. They must do these speaking engagements and they must follow the script–”honesty,” the first and most impotent rule be damned–along with “anonymity and confidentiality”.  

Imagine if you were stricken by prostate cancer and did not want anyone to know.  As a result of the prostate cancer your doctor gave you a  (Click on the following) penis pump as you experienced difficulty erecting your penis. This is exactly what happened to Straight’s founder Melvin Sembler as he claims in a verified complaint filed in Pinellas County Court in a 2003 lawsuit he brought against a former highly thought of employee Richard Bradbury.   Mr. Sembler claims that he was stricken in or around 1990 with prostate cancer and did not want anyone except for close family and friend to know.  He claims he was prescribed a penis pump. 

Sembler v. Bradbury page 3 penis pump "trash" privacy claim

He later claimed in a deposition he may have given it, or left it for his maid to throw into the trash.  

(The penis pump was later retrieved by a world famous garbage collector.  We will come back to that later)  

Melvin Sembler expected privacy in trash. The children left in his “care” at his Straight Corporations had no privacy. Why should he expect it in “his” trash? 

Magic Grits III coming soon:  

(What Happened to the medical records Straight maintained on the children and young adults in it’s care?) 

Special thanks to Ginger McNulty with this exclusive report. 

Copyright (C) 2009 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated (EXCLUSIVE) 

Copyright (C) By Brill Smith   

This is the link to the story, video and pictures of the Breaking ABC Action News story: http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_south_pinellas/st_petersburg/baywalk-settles-with-family-of-boy-nearly-killed-by-speaker-that-fell-on-his-head Link to Wesley Fager’s story: http://melvinsembler.blogspot.com/2009/01/wake-up-ebenezer-sembler-before-its-too.html      

Wesley Fager, Hero

Copyright (C) By Wesley Fager 1946 – 2009 whose service to his country, family and community will live forever and made the world a better place.  

Ambassador Sembler dines in luxury while the little boy injured at Baywalk is about to be evicted.  

Mankind was my business. The ghost of Jacob Marley from “A Christmas [...]]]>  

Wesley Fager, Hero

 

Copyright (C) By Wesley Fager 1946 – 2009 whose service to his country, family and community will live forever and made the world a better place.  

Ambassador Sembler dines in luxury while the little boy injured at Baywalk is about to be evicted.  

Mankind was my business. The ghost of Jacob Marley from “A Christmas Carol.”  

In February 2007 a speaker fell on 4 year old Josiah Wineberger from a second story balcony at the Baywalk Shopping Center in St. Petersburg, Fl., crushing him and fracturing his skull. Doctors said he would never walk again, but, with intense physical therapy, Josiah is not only walking but he’s talking like any boy his age.  

Melvin Sembler, AO, is our former ambassador to Italy. If you are familiar with Ambassador Sembler you know that he and his wife Betty founded and operated Straight, Inc., a national-level, juvenile substance abuse treatment program, for 17 years. The abuse that kids sustained at Straight, Inc. are a national disgrace and over 40 former clients have committed suicide.  

Straight earned $100 million–tax free. But that’s peanuts to Ambassador Sembler who makes his real money building and leasing shopping centers. Shopping centers like Baywalk where Josiah Wineberger was nearly killed last year. The Semblers live a life of opulence, traveling from here to there anywhere in the world in their private jet.  In 2003 the Semblers held
The Mother of all Toga Parties (turn on sound before linking) in Rome when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at their Magic Kingdom by inviting all the Who’s Who’s from St. Petersburg and Washington.  

Mel Sembler even convinced the US Congress to buy a $100 million memorial in Rome to honor his greatness.  

But while Mel and Betty were eating caviar this Hanukkah, the Wineberger’s position worsened. The day after Christmas, an electrical fire sparked in their home and now the fire department has declared it unsafe to live in. Worse still, the home is facing foreclosure.  

You might recall that Ambassador Sembler once sued Ray Bradbury for recovery of a medical device, but much to his chagrin, the story made international news. Sembler had thought that Bradbury would cave, we suppose, but Bradbury did not, and the judge finally set a trial date for April 10 – April 21, 2006. The ambassador did not want the trial to go on so he made a motion (and the judge granted it) to postpone it. Why? He decided to take his family on a holiday. He decided to fly his entire family to Israel for the Passover from April 10 to April 20! So we know the Semblers do enjoy their religious retreats.  

Mr. Sembler, thousands of kids have been harmed by you at Straight. You have a reputation for sticking it to your fellow citizens in your business dealings. Couldn’t you spare a little change to help Josiah Wineberger and his family this holiday. It would not have to be an admission of guilt. Just a gesture to lend a hand to someone hurt at one of your projects.  

It’s a tradition in my family to watch “A Christmas Carol” each year around this time. We always watch the 1951 movie version starring Alistair Simms. When the third spirit takes Ebenezer Scrooge to his future grave, it chills me to the bone because I know Dickens is speaking directly to me. I’m old Mel, but you’re older. Maybe you and I had better wake up.  

Here’s a link to the Josiah Wineberger story.  

Copyright (C) Story published with consent of Ray Bradbury  

ORIGINAL PUBLICATION February 10, 2010

Joe Conason with Salon.com wrote a piece on Melvin Sembler on Tuesday February the 09, 2010.  For those of you who may have missed it click on the story title below to be redirected the his article.

Salon.com

In our exclusive report dated February 26, 2010, we reported the “Feds” were investigating the R.P.O.F.  Today former R.P.O.F. Chairman Jim Greer who is Charlie Crist’s “right hand man” was arrested and has been indicted on 6 felony charges to include; grand theft, money laundering and running an organized scheme to defraud.The R.P.O.F. [...]]]> Copyright (C) 2010 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated 

In our exclusive report dated February 26, 2010, we reported the “Feds” were investigating the R.P.O.F.  Today former R.P.O.F. Chairman Jim Greer who is Charlie Crist’s “right hand man” was arrested and has been indicted on 6 felony charges to include; grand theft, money laundering and running an organized scheme to defraud.The R.P.O.F. under Florida’s Gay Governor Charlie Crist has been operated as a criminal enterprise.  Mr. Greer was indicted on similar charges a “mobster” such as John Gotti might expect. 

"Ham Head" Jim Greer

More arrests are imminent. 

Editorial 

How much time do you think a Mr. Greer can do behind prison walls?  My guess is not much.  

He’s just not cut out for it; he likes the high rolling lifestyle he’s accustomed.  I figure the “Feds” have a singing “Ham Head” right now.  

I will be impressed when and or if the day ever comes when one of the last names of those indicted ends with Sembler. 

Mr. Greer “sing your songs” as that’s your only chance. 

 Brill Smith’s definition of a “Ham Head” 

Politician, an individual whose lifestyle is predicated on politics and the financial gain associated. 

Copyright (C) 2010 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated 

More as info. becomes available.

Ginger McNulty who is a member of our Editorial Board operates a web forum about the “troubled teen rehab industry.” The name of the site is “fornits.com.” The web site is presently down. If you would like further information on this technical problem click on the following link; [...]]]> Copyright (C) 2010 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated (EXCLUSIVE)

Ginger McNulty who is a member of our Editorial Board operates a web forum about the “troubled teen rehab industry.” The name of the site is “fornits.com.” The web site is presently down. If you would like further information on this technical problem click on the following link; http://blog.fornits.com/.

Copyright (C) 2010 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated (EXCLUSIVE)

Copyright (C) 2010 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated (EXCLUSIVE)

I asked Julian what he learned from his experience during his stay at the Dozier “School” for Boy.  He said, “complete disrespect for authority.”

Today, Julian Michael Sapp is a Snook Fisherman.  He grew up and moved [...]]]>

Inside the "White House" toilet facility (used by permission from Roger Keiser)

Copyright (C) 2010 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated (EXCLUSIVE)

I asked Julian what he learned from his experience during his stay at the Dozier “School” for Boy.  He said, “complete disrespect for authority.”

Today, Julian Michael Sapp is a Snook Fisherman.  He grew up and moved on with his life but wants to hold those persons accountable for his mistreatment as a youth.  He was a Plaintiff in the Class Action Lawsuit which has been filed against the State of Florida for the abuses of the Dozier “School” for Boys. “I withdrew myself because I don’t want money off the tragedy”. Mr. Sapp said. “Off my book Chasing Freedom, Life of a white House Boy, yes, off the law suit no.”

Julian was assigned to “Pierce Hall” as shown in the picture in our November 23rd, 2009 article,  The Life of a “White House Boy” I.  Julian said, “It was isolated from everything else; it was on a hill where they sent kids they thought were mentally disturbed and I was given some type of medication. I am not sure what it was.”

Julian said that during his stay “I was beaten two more times but they were minor, not like the first time.”  He would go on to witness other children when they were showering who had disgusting marks from beatings on their buttocks, thighs and backs.  He said, “you could not miss it.”

Julian was released from the Dozier “School” for Boys on June 06, 1961 to his biological fathers wife, whose name we have redacted from the included document titled “Florida Department of  Juvenile Justice” dated October 06, 2009. (EXCLUSIVE)

I asked Julian what he learned from his experience from his stay at the Dozier “School” for Boys?  He said, “complete disrespect for authority.”

I was recently reading Ben Montgomery’s and Waveney Ann Moore’s story from the Sunday December 06, 2009 St. Petersburg Times edition titled “Florida juvenile justice: Dozier school’s roster of the lost.” The story focused on boys from the “Dozier Class of 88″ and how many of them were arrested again after their stay at the Dozier “School” for Boys and found shocking evidence of an almost complete rate of failure of the Dozier “School” for Boys to “reform” or rehabilitate any of the boys from the “Class of 88.”

I took notice of the comments section of the storyand I think this comment summarizes the ignorance of some of the readers; “lillapoyka” commented, “If you would have behaved as a kid you never would have been sent their.  You have nobody to blame except yourselves and maybe your parents.” (St. Petersburg Times comment section December 06, 2009)

Let us not forget these were minors and the State of Florida was charged with protecting them once committed to their care and the state failed and continues to fail to this day.

In Julian’s case he would go on to get into further trouble with the law.

When he was 16 Julian and another boy, whose father happened to be the local Police Chief, were walking along and saw a row boat. So they took it for a joy ride.  When they returned to the dock a deputy was waiting for them.  The Police Chief did not want Julian hanging out with his son. And so, for this joy ride, Julian was sentence to 3 months probation which he completed successfully.

Shortly thereafter the Police Chief found out Julian was back hanging out with his son and had him rearrested for a 2nd time for stealing the row boat.  This time Judge Sample sentenced Julian to Florida State Prison for a period no shorter than 6 months and not longer than 3 years depending upon his behavior.

Julian said, “Before they rearrested me a 2nd time for stealing the row boat I was still salvageable.”  Julian was held in the local jail for the next 14 months and, at about age 17½, he was transferred to Raiford State Prison in Florida. Julian’s fate would now be in his own hands.  He had been dehumanized by his stay at the Dozier “School”. He had had his civil rights trampled there as well as by the local Police Chief who felt he could arrest anyone whom he did not like hanging around with his son.

Julian would go on to appeal this case himself all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

Julian’s trouble with the law was not over.  While at Raiford, Julian escaped and committed additional crimes. His sentence was extended by 97 years. At the retrial in 1965 he accepted a plea deal for 20 years. He completed the 20 years sentence and was released from the Orlando Work Center on October 18, 1975 as did expiration of the sentence.

But something happened along the way that “would change my life forever,”  I inquired as to what that was.  Julian said, “someone took an interest in me.”  I asked who and he said “While in prison a woman starting writing to me and started visiting me.  She would drive a lot of miles a week to see me.  It change me, it changed my life.”

Julian was released from prison on October 1st, 1975. His sentence had been reduced by several years because Julian had appealed his 2nd arrest and charge as a Juvenile for stealing the row boat.  Upon his release they started dating in 1975 and  had children together.  “This changed my whole life,” Julian said.

I asked him if he was involved with any drugs or drinking when he committed the crimes we discussed.  He said “no, I tried a marijuana cigarette in 1975 and it freaked me out and to this day I am not involved with any of that period!”

Julian left the state in 1975 and went to work for a deaf school in West Virginia.  “I worked there until they got my background check back and they found out I was an ex-con and my employment was terminated as a result. I was hired for a special skill I learned while in prison and that was sign language because back then ‘mutes’ were treated differently–like outcasts from society and it was hard to find a person who knew sign language and I got that job pretty quickly.”

In 1976 Julian started working in Columbia South Carolina, as a dredge engineer ”because no one cared about your background just as long as you could do the job and it paid well,” he said.  He would go on to become chief engineer on the dredge in 1979 he was working a tug boat in Tampa, Florida the day the ship struck the Skyway Bridge knocking numerous cars and a bus off the bridge into the water.  He said, “we went right over there and started pulling survivors out of the water.”

He did a brief stint as an orange grove manager  in the early 1980’s and then went back to work as a dredge engineer “because it paid so well,” he said.  1985 he was working in Longwood, Florida installing fire sprinklers and was promoted by the company in 1988 and started teaching at Seminole Community College in the Vocational Training Program.  He taught apprentices at the college how to become Journeymen and Master Pipe-fitters.

But then trouble stuck again; the college got back his background check.  “They were going to terminate me if not for one man; Mac Blyth,” Julian said.  “He went to bat for me.”  Mr. Blythe got the school to hold off on terminating Julian until he could hear back from the governors office on his request for a pardon.

On April 12, 1988 Julian Michael Sapp was pardoned for all of his past crimes by then Florida Governor Bob Martinez.  His civil rights have been restored with the exception of his right to carry a firearm. (EXCLUSIVE)

Julian kept his job and in 1990 went on to work as youth minister at Osteen Baptist Church outside of Daytona Beach, Florida.  In 1991 he went to work for the Salvation Army at a homeless lodge.  In about three months he was promoted to Disaster Director for the Salvation Army and then promoted to Director of residential Drug Treatment for their drug treatment program.  He worked closely with Volusia and Flagler county to coordinate disaster relief.

Julian retired in 2001 as a result of a heart attack the year before.  He said, “I tried to go back to work but my short term memory gave me some trouble and i figured it was about time to retire.”

"Gone Fishing"

You can reach Julian and the other ‘White House Boys” at http://www.theofficialwhitehouseboys.com.

Brill Smith can be reached at brillsmith@gmail.com

Copyright (C) 2010 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated (EXCLUSIVE)

Coming Monday January 11, 2010

Copyright (C) 2010 Orange Toilet News, Incorporated (EXCLUSIVE)