Well this is going to be more entertaining than even I could have possibly imagined. I guess I would really need to contact my attorney and rally some defense really fast but the facts of the case will play out. Also keep in mind that the very letter posted above by the attorney is in fact defaming me, right?
So I guess what needs to be found is the truth and if Mr. Tan can show he is in fact the originator of the designs in question then I will be absolutely floored.
Here are some FACTS.
- I never made any sexual gestures to anyone at the Joy booth, ever. I am really interested in finding out what he is referring to.
- I in fact did take pictures of her booth and I in fact broke a policy of the show. Big deal but I knew I would need the evidence and I did what was necessary to obtain it. Not to mention I have a press pass
The Show security did come by and I was asked to not do it again. When I explained what she had done they said they could see why I did what I did. They did not ask me to destroy the images in any way. In fact I was told otherwise.
- Alex Shelton did in fact come out from behind her booth demanding I give her my camera and she pushed me. Although in reality I was never really in fear of her following through with an attack she did in fact commit Assault and battery and this was witnessed by many people.
Let's break down pending lawsuit above.
9. Prior to the incidents and libelous statements set forth in this complaint, all of the Plaintiffs had excellent reputations and enjoyed the respect of other owners of businesses in the knife community, and further enjoyed excellent reputations and the respect of customers in the knife industry, as well as, the Plaintiffs associates in the community at large.
Now this statement is quite hilarious. I realize I am in no way perfect and have had my fair share of problems over the years but I seriously doubt that Alex Shelton or Bob Shelton can walk over to any booth at the Shot Show and shake the hands of the owner. Maybe I should get statements from the knife industry and compare who has and has had a more favorable impact on the knife industry as a whole, Me or Joy Cutlery. Kinda like who was the lessor evil in some of your minds huh? LOL
I would hope that those who I have called my friend over the years can stand up at this point and create a statement that I can use here. Sal, Les, David, Jim, Lynn, Jerry and others who know me, I would hope that this is the opportunity we have been looking for to set some sort of precedent that knock offs are no longer welcome. I would love to see just who Joy can claim as her associates in the knife industry who respect her. Mr. Bryan can you list ANY? I doubt it. And if you do I doubt anyone here will know them.
10. Joy Enterprises became involved in the knife industry in approximately 1960. A major aspect of Joy Enterprises business marketing takes place at trade shows in various places throughout the United States. Over the many years Joy Enterprises has been involved in the knife industry, and as the result of the experience gained in that industry, Joy Enterprises, Alex Shelton and Steven B.Shelton, prior to the acts, conduct and statements of the Defendants, had earned and obtained a good opinion of all of the Plaintiffs associates, customers and others to whom the Plaintiffs where known.
I will admit that many years ago Joy did have a decent reputation. The difference between her and me is simply that I started by selling knock offs and learned from that mistake and moved on to selling legitimate products. She has done just the reverse and is now selling primarily knock offs. And yes Mr. Bryan they are knock offs regardless of what you call them. Everyone on this web site can see that CLEARLY now using the images I took at the Show. Even Provantus has decided to stop selling them and is liquidating their entire inventory of them. Why? Because I asked them to. Don't believe me? Come to the Vegas Show and see for yourself. Once gone you will never see another knock off at Provantus. Unless of course you think that we are knocking off Mr. Tan's designs? If they are in fact his designs then WHY ARE YOU NOT GOING AFTER ME FOR THAT REASON MR. BRYAN??? I will tell you why, because yo in know way can prove Mr. Tan made all those designs. Simple as that.
11. On or about February 15, 2003, Joy Enterprises was at a knife industry trade show known as the Shot Show in Orlando, Florida and was represented there by the Plaintiff Alex Shelton and a female marketing director. At the Shot show, Michael Turber and an associate who is allegedly involved with Defendant Boss Knives and/or Defendant WOW Inc. threatened and insulted Plaintiff Alex Shelton and the other female employee of Joy Enterprises and made improper sexually harassing comments and gestures. At the Shot show, Defendant Michael Turber and the other representative of Defendant Boss Knives and Defendant WOW Inc. wrongfully and improperly stated that Joy Enterprises violated U.S. laws by selling knives which were knock offs.
Specifically, Defendant Michael Turber and/or Alton James as a representative of Defendant Boss Knives and/or Defendant WOW Inc. incorrectly asserted that Joy Enterprises had improperly copied the design of the Defendants knife model #21688. This statement was false at the time it was made.
I in no way made any sexual gesture or harassing remark. That is a LIE, a bold faced LIE. Neither did AJ. For you to imply that I did is paramount to libel in itself and make no mistake, I will defend myself in that regard and you have NO proof to the contrary, none, nada, zip as it never occured.
Joy does sell knock offs Mr. Bryan and that is a FACT, PERIOD and YES I can PROVE that in court! Heck I have already proven that here! Just read this very post. Do you think BladeForums members are idiots or something? Just a bunch of red neck knife nerds? If so you are sadly mistaken as these people are some of the best people on earth. You may want to rethink your position here as I stand behind that statement 100% and I doubt anyone on this forum or anyone in the knife industry will testify differently. I understand you are her lawyer and that you may not know anything about this industry but if you believe that your client does not sell knock offs then you are sadly mistaken. It WILL be an embarrassing moment in court for you, that
I GUARANTEE.
12. On February 20, 2003, at 12:35 a.m., the Defendant Michael Turber individually and on behalf of BOSS KNIVES and WOW, Inc. called the Plaintiffs and left a threatening message advising the Plaintiffs that they were going to start feeling the wrath of the heat from my wrath and making other threatening statements. In the same message, Defendant Turber threatened the Plaintiffs with harassment and with defamation and slander unless the Plaintiffs ...get rid of your inventory, which constitutes extortion under the Florida Criminal Laws.
I still stand behind the jest of the message and that was that she needs to get rid of the inventory. Or maybe we can come to some sort of agreement in that she is to pay royalties to the ACTUAL designers and not this mystery Mr. Tan. If she is willing to do this then maybe we can come to an agreement. Pursue this law suit and I will do what ever is in my power to protect myself and I do have the right to express things I know as FACT and that would not be libel or slander Mr. Bryan. I did not, and do not, view it as extortion as I would not benefit from her disposing of her inventory. I did not say give me $25,000 or I will make life hell for you. That would be extortion in my eye and would be closer to the intent of the law you claim I broke. I in no way would receive any compensation for her getting rid of her inventory. I just wanted her to know that I want the designers taken care of as the designs are theirs and they should be compensated for their work. Simple as that. Now if she agrees to pay royalties and to drop this law suit then I agree not to file charges against her for things she knows she did at the show and previous shows in which she physically attacked me, once by throwing a book at me and the next by shoving me at the Shot Show. Sounds fair to me. I think physical battery with witnesses out weighs any lame hard to prove BS you have.
Now Mr. Bryan, I find it amusing that you have the audacity to actually post here. You may not be aware of this but I created this web site and I have always had the policy of allowing freedom of speech. Although I no longer own this site I know Spark is keeping the same basic principals in place that make this site so special. I would also like to express to you something you may not have thought of. Should you lose your case and I prove that you and your client are in fact liars and that Mr. Tan did not design those knives in question isn't it true that I can sue you, your law firm, your client and Joy for libel? Think about it. One of us is lying, right? Now that you have come here and posted the above are you not doing what you claim I am doing? Think about it. Are you so positive that your client is in the right that you will back up each and every statement made above? I am a member here and I can post things that I witness in the knife industry. I do this all the time. Heck I even wrote and article on knock offs the magazine here.
Click here Mr. Bryan - Maybe you will learn something that you think I don't already know.
You may be acting on the advise of your client but you posted a law suit here which is not yet a public document and that may not be legal either. I could be wrong but your intent is clear and that is to damage me adn my reputation. Good luck as I do enough damge to my own reputation, I don't need any help from you!
And do you actually think that there are only 213 members here? Do you think the people here actually believe that your client does not sell knock offs? Sorry Mr. Bryan but your client in FACT sells knock offs. Heck I did at one point, have the balls to admit it and did the right thing and stopped. I have many still sitting in my garage that I could personally bring to the Blade Show and BURN THEM IN A BON FIRE LIVE if given permission to do so. They just sit there, collecting dust anyway but I will decide what to do with them. I was wrong in my past for selling them. I truly did not know what I was doing. The difference here is your client knows fully well what she is doing and when told about it she decided to attack me? Funny how perception is one sided but keep in mind I have witnesses who are NOT employed by me who WILL show up in court and testify about what they ACTUALLY saw with their own eyes. Ask your client if she came from behind her booth and assaulted me at the Shot Show. All I did was take a picture Mr. Bryan, what do you think the jury will think? Hummm Mr. Turber takes a picture of someone selling knock offs of his company's designs and she then attacks him physically, TWICE!
Drop the law suit now before this gets really embarrassing. Is that extortion too Mr. Bryan? Should I post her ENTIRE catalog here on BladeForums? That is in my right to do so and I am sure she will get an earful if I do. Heck you should see all the BS I get when people see my old catalogs. I still hear it to this day. Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black when I go after someone selling knock offs of my designs. But I am trying to do the right thing. It is an uphill battle but slowly and surely it is being won.
This is truly interesting, indeed!
